Tranquility
by KageOkami-Kogo
Summary: Edmund and Lucy somehow find themselves back in Narnia once more, after their adventures on the Dawn Treader, to once again aid Caspian. He's still young!How is this possible? In the modern world, Aslan "tricks" an ordinary young woman into stumbling into a world that's like something out of her wildest dreams, to face her inner demons. EdxOC (NO Mary-sue or self-insert! Promise!)
1. Prologue

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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_Prologue..._

A cool spring was lit by the gentle rays of the sun, cascading upon the waters like a warerfall of gold. The river shone with the light like gems and even the wind danced merrily through the trees. Somewhere in the woods, on a meadow of lillies and soft grass, a great big golden lion lay, his long tail swishing and whiskers twitching. His eyes were closed as he basked in the sun's healing tendrils, in communion with the deep magic of the world.

The mighty lion, Aslan, had a plan. Aslan always had a plan. However... this design was not supposed to go the way it was, but then, everything happened the way it happened for a reason, did it not? His plan could be altered, modified to accomodate the change. He glared at the vision of cold and white he saw before his eyes. No, he would not stand for this. At the same time, Aslan recalled the moment that everything changed for two of his chosen champions... when he made a split second decision that would alter the course of the future.

...

_"So, what was it like?" Edmund asked. He and Caspian rowed the longboat out toward "the end", moving through a sea of beautiful white sweet smelling flowers. "When Aslan changed you back?" he added._

_Eustace thought for a moment as he gazed at the peaceful waters. "No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't do it myself," he explained. "Then he came towards me, it sort of hurt but... it was a good pain, you know, like, when you pull a thorn from your foot? Being a dragon wasn't all bad, I mean, I think I was a better dragon than I was a boy, really," Eustace said, if a bit regretfully. "I'm so sorry for being such a sod," he added softly._

_"It's okay, Eustace... you were a pretty good dragon," Edmund admitted with a friendly smile. Who knew all it would take was an epic adventure in another world for the older boy to smile genuinely at his cousin. The friends grinned comradely at each other._

_"My friends," Reepicheep said, drawing their attention. "We have arrived!" he gestured toward the wondrous sight before them. Enormous walls of water cascaded upward it seemed, into itself, and stretching out as far as the eye could see. It took them no time to reach the shore, the group unable to get over the enormity of awe they felt for this place. It was simply magnificent. It was not until Eustace spoke, that any of them noticed the mighty lion that walked just behind them, smiling warmly at them._

_"Aslan!" Eustace turned to look at the great lion._

_"Welcome, children," the wise lion greeted amiably. "You have done well, very well indeed," he praised. "You have come far, and now your journey is at it's end," he said._

_"Is this your country?" Lucy asked curiously._

_"No," Aslan told her. "My country lies beyond," he gestured just over the waters, and indeed one could see the peak of land just beyond the top of the waters._

_"Is my father in your country?"_

_Aslan turned to appraise the oldest Son of Adam. "You can only find that out for yourself, my son,-" he told him. Aslan saw the new King eying his land. "-but you should know that if you continue, there is no return," he warned. Caspian was unsure, he desperately wanted to see his father again but he knew that it was not his time yet. In the end, he decided not to go. Reepicheep, on the other hand, had other plans. It was with a heavy heart, that the four humans bid their mouse friend goodbye. Eustace's heartfelt goodbye was the most touching and most strange to the noble mouse. Now, it was time for Aslan to see to his human family._

_"This is our last time here, isn't it?" Lucy asked tearfully, leaning into her brother's comforting hand on her shoulder. Aslan stood and gazed at them a moment. His reply would have been very simple, if he had not suddenly felt a change, heard a voice whisper inside him. No, this would not be their last time in Narnia, for in fact, they would be greatly needed again. Aslan's whiskers twitched and he glanced up toward the sky, closing his eyes and nodding. "Aslan?" Lucy prompted hesitantly._

_Aslan nodded to himself, and set off to spin the threads of the fabrics of his design again, as he was instructed by a force greater still than he. "__No," he finally said, surprising them. He opened his eyes and looked back toward them with a gentle smile "This will not be the last time for you two," Aslan gestured to Edmund and Lucy. "You will still be needed soon," he added._

_"And... and me?" Eustace asked shyly._

_"You, my son, will be needed again as well, but at another time," Aslan smiled at him. "But for now, it is time to head back," Aslan told them. He smiled and gestured toward the cascading waters once more. Before their eyes they saw the waters swirl and open up to reveal a portal. "Go now, my children, we shall meet again," he said. The three teens bid their farewells to Caspian and Aslan, and stepped in, watching the water collapse around them but never fearing it._

_..._

The teens would soon find themselves back in the room they started in. Back in the place where their latest adventure had begun. The teens would share a smile. No longer would they fight and bicker amongst themselves, no, instead, the days that followed brought peace and understanding between the siblings.

It wasn't long until the war ended and the cousins would separate again. While Peter and Susan were still in America, Edmund and Lucy were able to reunite with their mother and father. It was a happy time, but both of them felt a little like a big part of them was missing. They were happy to be back, but they could not wait to return. However, soon, it seemed, would not be as soon as they hoped...

But Aslan had a plan. He knew something was coming, something that attempted to pick at the delicate strands of his tapesty, but he would not allow it. What he _would _allow, was an alteration in his design. Aslan had a plan, but for his plan to succeed, he needed another element. There was already magnificence, gentleness, justice, and valiance... but there was something missing. Aslan searched for this missing piece to the puzzle, and would find it sixty-five years later. This would not do, something had to be done about that. But wait... this element was still raw and full of cracks... maybe this could work if he polished it.

Aslan had a plan.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: So any thoughts? I'm sorry this chapter was so short, prologues usually are. I promise the rest of the story will have longer chapters! Maybe not at first though. Don't worry, this is not a short story! Please let me know what you thought of my little tweak to the ending!

This story is BASED on the movies, as in, it plays out at the end the third move but deviates a bit. I hate tragedies and I know what happens at the end of the last book of Narnia, so I'm disregarding that. Since there was no fourth movie, everything I write from here will be my own creation, and no, I don't plan on it being like the remaining books. You can call this a fourth book/movie if you wish :). I normally don't write OC's except for my own personal stories, so I hope this story goes well. Please bear with this beginning part, most of it is straight from the movie.

By the way, the main "theme" of this story is this:

** www . newgrounds /audio /listen /490337 . com**

(Remove the spaces) The song is called Herald of the Skies. Just imagine this as the intro to the story, like the music at the start of a movie. Yes, the theme of the story is supposed to be as epic as the music is lol, don't worry, you'll see...

R&R!


	2. Chapter 1

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

**A/N**: There is mild language in this chapter!

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_Boston, United States, 2013..._

'Six fifty for gas? I'm glad I don't own a car,' Natalie Valentine mused as the bus stopped at a light. 'What on Earth?' She frowned in confusion, her eyes widening in alarm as she could have sworn she saw the reflection of a lion _in the bus. _She turned sharply, almost giving herself whiplash, but saw nothing, just the confused looks of the other passangers. 'I must be losing my mind!' She shook her head in disbelief. But still, something felt odd...

Natalie jumped slightly, her hand tightening on the bar she held, as a sudden vibration on her hip alerted her that there was a message on her phone. She took a breath and got the device out of her pocket, sweeping her thumb across the screen to unlock it. 'I still don't understand why I don't just remove this reminder...' she thought bitterly as she glared at her phone. In bold letter, the phone told her that today was the anniversary of her family's death. It had been eight years since they died and she became an orphan, two since she became independent, three since people stopped approaching her. She thought it would get easier in time, but each year was still just as difficult as the next.

It wasn't as though no one ever _tried_ to approach her, she wasn't a disagreeable or unlikable person and she was never mean to anyone, but she just didn't let anyone get close to her. Natalie preferred to stay alone, refusing to go through what she had gone through as a child, losing the people she loved the most. No, she would not bring her bad luck upon anyone else. Too many times after the tragic accident that left her orphaned did she lose friends, so she didn't pay them any attention and soon people simply stopped approaching her. 'I wish the world really had ended last year, like the Mayans predicted,' she mused sardonically. Natalie sighed woefully and tightened her coat around her, it was unusually cold for the beginning of autumn.

Natalie worked two jobs in a row, just so she could pay for her meager living arrangements in the cheapest, dirtiest part of Boston. She hadn't thought that was even possible! Boston? Dirty? But then, she supposed every city had it's poor parts.

It was a long night of hard unforgiving work at the firm that she worked as an administrative support for, her last job in the early morning. The other job she had was equally as depressing, a call center for a cable company that seemed to hate their employees as much as their customers... She was just about to clock out and run to the bus stop to try to catch a ride this time, when her boss suddenly asked for her, calling her into his office. 'What now?' Natalie sighed inwardly and went over to the office.

"Ms. Valantine, please, close the door and have a seat," the old man said. Natalie stiffened at the man's tone but did as he asked and sat down. "How long have you been working for us?" he asked.

'Oh, God, please no... I know where this is going!' She thought, her heart hammering away in her chest. 'How long have I worked here?' she thought for a moment. 'Since I was sixteen...' She remembered, recalling when she first fought her way into independence from her life at the orphanage and managed to get this job over more qualified people. "Two years..." Natalie answered.

"Ah, yes, two years. You've worked hard for us for those two years," he smiled, it did not reach his eyes. "While you were a great employee to have in our roster, you see- well. Look, I'll be blunt with you, you deserve that much. The thing is, Natalie, the economy has not improved any, this firm is a bit over it's head right now with all the expenses and salaries it has to pay for the senior members... I'm afraid we'll have to let you go," her former boss told her. Natalie sat there, speechless. She lost one of her jobs. She _lost one of her JOBS! _

"Sir, please, I can't- I need this job, it's the only way I can pay for my apartment!" Natalie tried to reason with him.

"Look, I like you, kid, so I'll make you a deal. You'll keep receiving a paycheck for the next whole two weeks, to help you out in finding a new job... how does that sound?"

'That's the _legal course of action!' _She thought angrily, keeping a growl from escaping her. 'Patronizing, egoistic, self-center, pompous bastard!' She screamed inwardly. "Thank you, sir," she answered morosely.

"Well good! It's settled then! Here, I took the liberty of finding you this nice box, please be sure to thoroughly clean out your desk," he had a look of relief in his round face, as if she were a burden he was removing.

"Thanks," Natalie said sarcastically, holding in her urge to snatch the box from his hand and storm out like a child. At least, she thought as she cleaned her desk, she had no sad goodbyes to say to any of her colleagues. When she was finished, she checked her thin, analogue watch. "I can do it, I can make it this time!" She muttered to herself and grabbed her bag and her box before flying out the door, not caring if she got looks from anyone. She panted as she ran down the streets, glad that at this late a night, or this early in the morning, whichever way you looked at it, there was hardly a soul in the streets. "No! Please stop!" Natalie cried as she watched the bus slip through her fingers once more. A bellow of smoke spewed from the exhaust at the back of the bus, but Natalie managed to quickly spin around, escaping most of the fumes. She coughed from the bit that managed to sneak past her and sat down at the bench. "Shit," she sighed wearily.

"What?" She said aloud, seeing a fuzzy reflection of that lion again on the window of a store. She turned once more, slower this time, but saw nothing on the street across from her. Turning back to the window, whatever it was, was gone once more. 'Okay, it's just my nerves getting to me,' she sighed. 'Or maybe the fumes from the bus exhaust are messing with my head,' she mused.

After catching her breath, Natalie stood once more and made the long walk back home, shivering in the cold with each step. What would have taken ten minutes, took her an hour. It was so late in the night that no one was there to greet her at the desk. The kind old front desk lady was the only person that Natalie ever actually smiled and greeted. She felt a pang of loss when she did not see the gentle woman, but knew the poor women was asleep after a long day of work herself. "Good evening, miss," a warm voice spoke from behind Natalie, making her hold in a gasp of surprise as she spun around to see who was there.

It was a janitor she had never seen before. The man smiled kindly and picked up a book that flew out of her box as she turned. He handed the book to her. Up close, she could see the crinkle in his eyes as he smiled. He had the strangest, prettiest eyes she had ever seen. His eyes were almost like amber, bright brown, or golden, like his hair. The only part of him that wasn't golden was part of his facial hair, that was white. The man almost looked like a lion with a mop of golden hair and white whiskers. That _had _to be coincidence, right? She blinked back to focus and nodded at the man. "Thanks... well, goodbye," Natalie said with another curious look, and turned to head up the stairs.

"Hold on a moment, I'm sorry, miss, but I can not allow you to head up the stairs just yet. There was a spill and I need to clean it up first," the janitor said.

"Oh, well, I'll use the elevator then," Natalie shrugged, but paused in her steps when he spoke again.

"I'm afraid the elevator is out of order," he said regretfully.

"Then how am I supposed to head to my apartment? Do you expect me to sleep down here? I'm sorry, I shouldn't take my frustration out at you, I've just... had a long day, is all," Natalie sighed.

"Yes, I know," the man said sadly. Natalie frowned and looked up at him questioningly, but before she could ask what he meant, he pointed across the room. "There is another way home, through those doors there," he told her.

"What? There's no other... door?" Natalie blinked in surprise at the door across the way. 'That door wasn't there before,' she thought warily.

"Here, let me unlock it for you," the man said, walking over and taking the large wheel of keys from his deep pockets. Natalie walked over slowly, unsure of the situation. "Go on in," the man said with a smile.

"Um..." Natalie hesitated. She placed her purse in the box and the box on the bench she sat on. She needed to see where this led first. Wasn't this exactly how most horror films began? Some strange guy offers you an alternate route home or something and the dumb victim takes in, only for the guy to turn out to be some psycho? But no, somehow, the only impression she got from the stranger was a sense of benevolence.

"Trust me, it will lead you home," he said in a cryptic sort of way. "Do you trust me?" he asked gently. Natalie gazed into his soft eyes and tilted her head to the side in thought. She knew she _shouldn't _trust this man, this stranger she had never seen before, that led her to some strange door... but... she also knew she _did _trust him. In fact, though he was a stranger, she felt like she knew him, felt like she could _always_ trust him.

'Home? Somehow I don't think he's talking about my apartment. What could he mean by that?' she wondered. "I do trust you," she finally declared, earning a kind smile from him. She took a breath and stepped to the door. "But what is this? Another elevator or-" Natalie's eyes widened. Where had the man gone? He had been standing behind her just a second ago. She frowned in confusion and turned back to the door. As she opened it, she felt a strong pulling sensation lure her through. She should have been panicking, but she felt at peace as she let it pull her in. A bright light surrounded her, causing her to shut her eyes. When she opened her eyes again, she was in... a forest? "What in the hell?" she thought aloud and whirled around to head back out... but the door was no longer there.

A loud rustle behind her alerted her that she was no longer alone and she whirled around once more. There, before her, stood something straight out of a fantasy novel. This thing was half horse, half muscular man and it stared at her curiously. "Who are you?" he asked her. "What are you doing in Narnia?" Now, Natalie was never one to feel light headed or startled easily, but this time, her mind became utterly blank and the light faded from her eyes. The last thing she felt was her body slumping and collapsing on itself, and the last thing she saw before the world went black was the hooves of the creature before her... a centaur.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I decided to post the first two chapters instead of waiting for people to review the first, so it makes up for the shortness of the first chapter. This chapter was a little longer than the first chapter, so it's better, yes? So what did ya think? I hope this chapter wasn't _too _boring! Let me know what you thought!


	3. Chapter 2

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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_Finchley, England, 1948..._

It had been three years since the second world war ended, eight since their first trip to Narnia, two since their last. Eighteen year old Edmund tossed and turned in bed, groaning in his sleep as a nightmare wracked his mind. "No... I won't... I won't give in..." he muttered. This was not the first time he had dreams like this, dreams of the horrors of battle, deaths of people he grew to care about under his command, the evil he fought, but most nightmares were usually about one thing... his betrayal of his family. The white witch made him feel useless and weak, and the dream version of her was no better. Edmund found himself unable to move or speak, even as his dream self betrayed his family over and over for the most foolish reasons.

Oh he was aware that he had just been an angry child, but that didn't mean he didn't know right from wrong. And so, even though he did not outwardly show it, the guilt that built within him tore him up and manifested itself in nightmares.

_Peace, my champion..._

Edmund stilled, feeling a calming, warm sensation overtake him. It flowed into him in waves, wrapping him in a cocoon of bliss, the nightmare banished.

_It is time, my son, wake up..._

_Wake up!_

"What?" Edmund gasped, shooting up and clutching his head as dizziness flooded his senses. "Oh..." he groaned. He blinked the stars away and looked around. He was safe, he was in his room, and it was still dark out. "It is time?" he questioned aloud, unsure of what that meant. And then, a light-bulb lit in his head. "It's TIME!" He threw his covers off of him and tried to make as little noise as he could as he made his way to his sister's room. It was still late at night, his parents were snoring away as he crept down the hall, passed their door and to Lucy's room. He carefully opened her door and slipped inside. "Lucy!" Edmund whispered, gently shaking his sister's arm.

"Mmh?" Lucy frowned in her sleep and tried to roll over to get more comfortable.

'And she says _I _sleep like a rock!' Edmund rolled his eyes and took both her shoulders, shaking her just a little rougher. "Lucy!" he hissed.

"Huh?" Lucy's eyes blinked open and she looked up at her brother in confusion. "What are you doing?" she asked him with a frown.

"Lucy, it's _time_!" He grinned at her.

"Time?" She yawned. "Time for what? Time to sleep? I agree... go back to bed, Ed," Lucy sighed.

"No! Time! You know..." Edmund trailed off and gave her a pointed look.

"Time..." The dots connected. A gasp. "Oh! TIME!" she finally understood.

"Shh!" Edmund covered her mouth with his hand. "Want to wake up mum and dad?" he raised an eyebrow. She was still just as excitable as she was when she was eight.

"Sorry..." was her mumbled apology.

"Come on then, get dressed," he told her and slipped out of her room.

Lucy, much like Edmund had done, threw her covers off and bounced out of bed, cringing slightly when the wood boards under her feet creaked a little. She could just imagine her brother rolling his eyes at her "clumsiness" and began to get dressed. She was just about to leave her room when she heard on a odd noise behind her. She spun around and stared in surprise as an acorn rolled across the room and under her bed. "What on Earth?" she thought out loud and decided to follow it. Getting down on her knees, she peered under her bed, but it was too dark to see... she _did _however feel a cool breeze coming from under the bed. She smiled in excitement and began to crawl. It was a bit of an effort, since her bed wasn't exactly the tallest. The longer it took her to crawl under the bed, the more excited she became. Her bed was definitely not this long!

Dust flew into her face and she shook her head, coughing a bit. Wait- it wasn't dust, it was dirt! Suddenly a bright light shone before her. She crawled faster and soon found herself emerging out into a wooded area. She was not near any ruins that she could see in the darkness and there was definitely no light post, so she was unsure where in Narnia she was, but it was Narnia nonetheless! She turned, hoping to see the hole to go get her brother and was relieved when it was still there. She crawled back and found herself back in her room moments later. She stood and brushed the dirt from her skirt and glanced down at her bed. She wondered idly how difficult it would be for Edmund, he _had _grown quite a bit, it might not be so easy to crawl through that tunnel as it was for her.

Making her way silently down the hall, she knocked as softly as she could on his door. Hearing a grunt from the other side, she opened just on time to find him lacing his boots. "Edmund," she began. "I found the doorway to Narnia!" she whispered excitedly.

"Where?" he grinned.

"Under my bed!" she beamed.

Edmund raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement. "It's no wonder, your room is so messy most days you can hide entire worlds!" he teased.

"It is not!" she laughed.

"Shshsh!" Edmund hushed her, though he could not hide his own laughter any better, escaping him even as he tried to keep them silent. A sound from their parents' room alerted them, cutting off their amusement. They stayed silent for a moment, listening to see if they had been caught, but besides a sharp break in their father's snore, their parents were still asleep. They breathed a sigh of relief and grinned at each other. "Come on, let's go," Edmund led her out and they silently closed her room door. Lucy smiled and gestured him to follow as he hesitated by the door. Edmund eyed the darkness of under her bed warily but shrugged, feeling no reason not to trust his little sister, and crawled in after her.

In no time at all, Edmund emerged from under the bed and through a hole in the ground. "Lucy?" he called, not seeing her near the hole.

"Over here!" Lucy called from a bit within the trees. Edmund made his way through and found her standing in a clearing, looking at something on the ground.

"What is it?" Edmund asked, walking closer. His eyes widened when he saw what she was looking at.

"It's a girl!" Lucy stated the obvious, keeling down next to her and trying to feel for a pulse. "She's alive," she smiled up at her brother.

"Is she Telmarine? Calormen? Can you see any markings on her clothes?" Edmund asked, glancing around and listening for anyone that might be nearby.

"It's too dark," Lucy replied, shaking her head. She moved closer for a better look and was about to try to turn her over when a loud snap was heard within the forest. She jumped, startled and stood, looking around. "What was that?" she asked, worry in her voice. Lucy's eyes widened at the rather loud rustle behind them and crept closer to her brother.

"Stay behind me," Edmund told her, pushing her further back behind him and glaring into the wood. Another twig snapped and Edmund wished he had his brother sword with him. How was he supposed to defend his sister if he himself was defenseless? His hand-to-hand combat skills weren't all that impressive if he were fighting something much bigger than he!

"More strangers?" A voice said.

"Show yourself!" Edmund demanded. Another sharp noise from in front of them alerted them that whoever this person was, he was very large.

"Calm yourself, young one," the voice said. Edmund and Lucy relaxed slightly when a centaur emerged from the woods. "Who might you two be?" he asked.

"I am Kind Edmund, this is my sister Queen Lucy," Edmund told him. The centaur studied them a moment before recognition filtered through his eyes and his back straightened.

"King and Queen of old! Forgive me, your majesties, I did not recognize you! It is truly an honor," the centaur bowed. "I am Orecar, a scout for King Caspian's army. He has been awaiting your arrival," Orecar told them.

Edmund frowned in confusion. Caspian? Alive still? It had been two years for them! Didn't that mean it had been much longer for Narnia? "How could he know of our return?" Edmund asked instead.

"King Caspian told us to expect you. We were not expecting you to take so long, however," Orecar told them. He eyed the girl laying behind them. "Is she not the other Queen?" he asked, gesturing to the girl.

"Oh!" Edmund spun around. "I completely forgot about her!" Edmund said, blushing in embarrassment. He walked over to her and bent down. He gently nudged her a bit, to see if she woke up, but to no avail. "Hmm," he frowned, wondering what was wrong with her. "No, she's not our sister... we don't really know who she is," he told him, standing back up. When the girl made no move to wake, he lifted her off the ground carefully.

"What happened to her, do you know?" Lucy asked, looking over to the unconscious girl worriedly.

"Forgive me, my Lady, but I discovered her in the woods just recently, a few minutes before you arrived. She was simply standing and looking about. I believe my sudden presence scared her and she collapsed," Orecar answered.

"Oh, wow, I see! So no one was with her?" Lucy questioned.

"No, my Lady, she was alone," he told her. "I waiting to see if she had anyone with her, but no one else but highnesses came by," he added. "Please, we must go to King Caspian's castle at once, these parts are not as safe as I'm sure you're used to. Will you be taking her?"

"Yes, we won't leave a poor girl all alone in apparently dangerous woods, right Edmund?" Lucy raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Of _course_," Edmund responded, rolling his eyes. Did his sister really think so low of him as to leave a solitary girl out of in the open where dangerous wild beasts and rebels lurked? What kind of a man would do that?

"Very well. Come, you may ride on my back," the centaur told them, settling down on his knees so it would be easier for them.

"Won't we be too heavy?" Lucy asked, watching her brother walk over with the stranger in his arms.

"Not at all, my Lady, have faith in my strength," Orecar smiled. Orecar helped them climb on his back and in no time, they were off. The ride was bit bumpy through the uneven terrain, dodging bushes, trees, fallen logs, vines, and holes, but even though it seemed like the whole night, they made it to the impressive castle in only a few hours. The woman in Edmund's arms did not stir.

"Are you sure she isn't dead?" Edmund asked his sister quietly. He glanced down at the woman but he could not see her through the darkness still. He looked up to try and find the moon, but could not. 'New moon...' he thought with an inaudible sigh. He hated not knowing things. Who was this girl? Was she from Archenland? Was she part of Caspian's village? He was sure she wasn't Narnian, since most of them were mythic beings and talking animals.

"I'm sure," Lucy answered.

After a few moments more, Orecar slowed to a stop, just before the village gate before the mighty castle. "This is where I leave you, your majesties," Orecar said, stopping near the entrance.

"Thank you very much, Orecar," Lucy grinned up at their new centaur friend as they got off his back.

"It was my pleasure to assist you, my Lady, my Lord," Orecar bowed to them, then galloped away. "We will meet again! I'm sure of it!" he called to them as he rode off. Edmund and Lucy watched him got for a moment before turning to the castle and walking over to the guards.

"Halt! Who goes- King Edmund! Queen Lucy!" The guard that spoke gawked at them before he was elbowed by his companion. The two of them bowed to the sovereigns.

"Forgive him, your majesties, we have heard much about you from our Lord and were told to let you in as soon as you made it here," the other guard told them. "Open the gate!" he called to another guard posted atop the tower with the lever to the gate. The gate screeched and groaned as it rolled up, revealing the long bridge that led to mighty doors to the castle. "Please, come with me," he bowed and gestured they follow him. Edmund felt strange walking down the path to the castle so freely like this. The last time he was here, he was helping break in to kill the previous Lord of the castle! "Alert the King, his esteemed guests are here!" the guard leading them told one of the servants as soon as they entered the castle. The servant rushed out. "Forgive me, your majesties, but I must return to my post, am I free to go?" he asked them.

"Of course, and thank you," Edmund smiled at the older man, who bowed once more to them before jogging back out. It was only a moments wait before they heard loud footsteps coming from down the hall. They turned to the opening door to see a half-asleep but very happy looking Caspian grinning at them.

"Lucy! Edmund!" he cried joyously, then rushed to them.

"Caspian!" Lucy squealed and ran over to him. Caspian caught her with a laugh, spinning her around.

"Let me look at you, how long has it been?" Caspian asked as his eyes widened when he got a better look at her.

"It's been a while," Lucy laughed. Caspian set her down and smiled playfully at her.

"I dare say, you have grown to be just as pleasing to the eye as your fair sister," Caspian grinned. Lucy swept a strand of hair behind her ear and blushed, looking away in embarrassment.

"Th-Thanks..." Lucy said softly.

Edmund rolled his eyes. "I see you haven't changed _any_!"

Caspian turned to the voice and grinned once more. "But you certainly have! Look at you! You've grown so much too! You're nearly my height now," Caspian laughed.

"This is probably it for me though," Edmund smiled. "I doubt I'll grow any more," he added with a shrug.

"Maybe so, but yet, maybe not, how old are you again?"

"Eighteen?"

"Truly? You were much younger the last time we met, how is this possible?" Caspian asked with wide eyes.

"It has been two years for us, I'm not sure when Aslan decided to do this, but I suppose he does work in mysterious ways," Edmund shrugged.

"Strange, that sounds familiar," Lucy frowned thoughtfully.

"At any rate, though you are no longer a boy, you are still young enough, perhaps you will grow still," Caspian clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Doesn't matter to me really, I'm tall enough," Edmund shrugged. At six feet tall, Edmund was sure he needn't grow no longer, he was already taller than most men his age.

"And who is this in your arms? She's a pretty thing," Caspian smirked teasingly at his young friend. "She doesn't look like anyone I've ever seen in Narnia," he commented.

Edmund shook his head, wondering if Caspian thought every girl he saw was pretty. He looked down and blinked in surprise. She _was _pretty! And by the looks of her clothes, Caspian was right again, she was _definitely _not from Narnia. One thing he noticed was the watch on her wrist and the cross necklace, so he knew she was from his and Lucy's world, but the clothes were just strange... a woman wearing pants? Bizarre! "...We don't know who she is, we found her when we arrived. I... think she comes from our world too,"

"Really?!" Lucy asked excitedly.

"I think so?" Edmund answered. "This watch looks a bit strange, as do her clothes, and this necklace isn't something I've ever seen in Narnia, so yes, I believe so," he nodded.

"I guess we'll know when she wakes up then," Caspian nodded.

"Why do you suppose we're here this time?" Lucy asked.

Caspian scratched the very short trimmed beard on his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure..."

"Well whatever the case, it's certainly good to be here!" Edmund smiled.

"Perhaps it would be better if-" Caspian cut himself off with a yawn, "-we caught up and discovered who our friend here is, in the morning," he sighed tiredly.

"We're sorry we woke you up so late," Edmund apologized.

"No no! It's alright! I'd rather have been woken up to greet you, than discovered you arrived sometime in the night," Caspian waved off the apology. "Come, let's take our friend here to the infirmary," Caspian led them out and brought them to the ward. "I believe my medical staff is asleep at the moment, but I will leave a note telling them who she is and to keep an eye on her when they come in in the morning," he went over to one of the desks against the wall and took a piece of parchment and the quill and ink. After scribbling a note, he turned to see Edmund gently place the girl on one of the cots in the room.

"If either of you don't mind, I'd like to spend the night here on the extra bed there, so when she wakes up she won't be so frightened," Lucy said.

"As you wish," Caspian nodded. "Come, Edmund, I'll show you to the guest wing," he lead his friend out. Lucy sat on her cot and looked over at the stranger.

"Who are you?" she asked quietly to herself as she studied the woman. She looked older than she was, closer to Edmund's or Susan's age. Lucy shook her head, deciding trying to figure out who she was like that without actually speaking to her was silly. 'If she's from our world... and she just got here when we did... this can't be coincidence, can it?' she thought. She sighed and gave up. She leaned back in her bed, kicking her shoes off, and felt herself fall asleep, even as she tried to remain awake. Tomorrow, if the stranger woke up, they would find out what was going on.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: This is about the length of an average chapter that I'll be doing, though don't expect every chapter to be this length, it all depends on what material I have to work with. Please give me some input, okay?


	4. Chapter 3

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

* * *

The cool breeze from the open window swept into the still room. Natalie Valentine shivered slightly and curled up further into the bed. However, the light of the sun was beginning to irritate her. 'Why aren't my damn curtains drawn?' she thought as she was roused from her sleep. She opened her eyes to glare at her window irately, then shot up from bed when she realized she was _not _in _her_ bed! "What!" she cried in surprise. "Where am I?" she asked the room, her heart speeding up from the creeping anxiety within her. It looked like she had fallen asleep in some sort of Disneyworld Cinderella castle set!

There were thick brick walls, polished to a smooth tan that looked almost like sandstone, a cheery color, much brighter than she would have guessed would be in a castle. Tall tapastries hung from the walls, thick brightly colored curtains on the large windows, and other random objects were scattered about that would befit a medieval castle. But, she wasn't _really_ in a _castle_... was she? That wasn't a _centaur _she had seen... was it? "Oh dear Lord..." she muttered, biting her lip anxiously.

"It's alright!" A girl's voice said from somewhere on the other side of the room. "Don't be afraid, you're quite alright," the girl said gently. Natalie blinked in confusion and looked over. The girl was probably a couple years younger than her and had a very thick British accent. She was pretty, with wavy brown hair and some odd clothes that looked like something from the fifties. She didn't exactly look like she fit in this situation much more than she did!

"Who are you?" Natalie asked. "Where am I? What is this place?" she added cautiously.

"My name is Lucy Pevensie and you're... well, you're not exactly where... you were _before_, anymore," Lucy struggled to explain. 'Oh how on Earth am I supposed to explain to her that she's no longer _on _Earth?' she wondered.

"What?" Natalie asked simply, in utter befuddlement. What on Earth was that girl talking about?

"Um, well," Lucy stood and brushed her hands on her dress wondering how she could put this to her. "You're in a land called Narnia, far _far _away from your home..." Lucy explained.

"Narnia?" Natalie frowned in confusion. She was a bit of a history buff and had studied about a lot of countries and their cultures on _Earth_, 'Narnia' was definitely not on the map. 'Wait, the door, the forest-!' Natalie recalled the odd but kind janitor that showed her the door that supposedly took her 'home'. 'Was that a... wormhole?' she thought, scrunching up her nose. 'This is ridiculous,' she sighed, shaking her head.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. I'm in another world?" Natalie questioned. Lucy looked surprised, maybe this situation wasn't so far from sanity! Natalie felt hopefuly, surely she didn't see a cen-

"Yes, you are," Lucy promptly answered. Well, that answered _that _question. "What's your name?"

"Natalie Valentine," said woman answered after a moment. "Lucy? I'm dreaming, right? I mean, this has to be some sort of twisted fantasy my mind created to deal from the shock of losing my job, right?" Natalie asked mostly herself, standing to pace around the room in agitation. "I'm going to wake up any moment now and I'll be asleep at home, right?"

"I'm sorry, Natalie, but it's not a dream," Lucy said apologetically. "Please try to calm down, I promose you're perfectly safe here," Lucy said, trying to keep the poor older girl from blowing a gasket. "How did you get here? Do you remember?" Lucy asked gently, trying to distract her.

Natalie paused and sat back down, taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts. "I was having a bad day," she began.

"Right," Lucy nodded sadly, remembering hearing her say a little bit ago that she was sacked from her job.

"After missing my ride home, I walked... took me a while but I finally made it. When I got there there was this guy who offered me another way to 'go home' as he put it when the stairs to my apartment were blocked. I took his advice and... Lucy, tell me centaurs _aren't real_..." Natalie all but begged.

"...They are real, _here_ they are anyway," Lucy said carefully.

Natalie shook her head again, rubbing her temples as she felt the beginnings of a headache. "Alright, alright, so let me see if I got this right. I'm in a world with centaurs and minotaurs and unicorns and rainbows and puppies and lions and tigers and bears oh my?" Natalie asked wide-eyed, her question having escalated into near hysterics by the end. She was normally not this hysterical, but this situation was not something an over-worked city-girl with a dreary and boring life was used to!

Lucy blinked, unsure how how exactly to respond to such a question. Rainbows and puppies? Funny how _that_ was the only bit of that question that really confused her. "Um, Natalie, please try to calm down. I promise you'll love it here once you get used to it!" Lucy insisted. Honestly, how was it that she and her siblings didn't go through this sort of trauma their first time? Sure, it was odd for them and at first they too thought it was just a dream, but they were able to get over it rather quickly!

Natalie nodded, taking another couple deep breaths to calm herself down. "I... I believe you," she nodded. "I do," she added, though she seemed like she was trying to convince herself more than Lucy. "Alright, so, now what?"

"Well, are you hungry?" Lucy asked. Natalie thought for a moment, she normally didn't have time to eat breakfast, so she wasn't used to doing so. She didn't feel exactly hungry, especially with her nerves in a bundle, but she knew that she shouldn't exactly isolate herself like she did at... at home. In this strange place, maybe having someone to talk to wouldn't hurt, even as part of her told her it was stupid idea and reminded her of her past.

"Sure," Natalie finally answered.

"Good! That's good, at least you have an appetite" Lucy smiled.

"Sure..." Natalie didn't have the heart to tell her otherwise.

"Come on, let's go see if we can find our way to the dining hall," Lucy suggested, gesturing with her hand for her to follow.

"You mean you don't know your way around here?" Natalie frowned.

"No, I've only just arrived myself!"

"So how do you know so much about this... world?" Natalie asked, still struggling to believe she was in some sort of fantasy novel world.

"Oh no, I meant this castle, I've been to Narnia plenty of times before," Lucy amended.

"Castle?" Natalie once again felt her eyes widen in surprise. So she hadn't been imagining things, this wasn't some sort of set, it was an honest to God castle! Amazing!

"Come on," Lucy smiled, taking the older girl's hand. Natalie let the younger girl lead her away, even as her mind still struggled to cope with her situation. On their way out, a partially armored man walked over to them and bowed.

"Good morning, good Ladies," the man greeted them. "Would you allow this humble guardsman show you the way to the dining hall?" he asked.

"That would be wonderful, thank you," Lucy smiled. As they followed the man, Natalie took the time to look around, marveling at the fast that _she was in a castle!_ She had always wanted to visit the castles back home. This was fantastic! Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad after all? It certainly beat where _she _lived! "Natalie?" Lucy asked, pulling her away from her observations. "Where are you from? I hope I don't sound rude saying this, but I've never quite seen any... _woman _wearing clothes like you are before. Your accent sounds odd too?" Lucy asked.

"Um... well," Natalie glanced down at her jeans, brown shoes, white blouse, brown coat, and brown scarf. She frowned curiously. If this girl was from England, surely they had clothes like this there! What was she on about? Then again, this place was clearly stuck in the middle-ages. "I'm from Boston, United States," she told her.

"United States!" Lucy gasped. "I'm from England! She grinned, "Oh how wonderful! My older sister and oldest brother are studying in America! I've never been there myself and I've never met an American either, I've only heard them from the news broadcasts on the radio," Lucy told her. Natalie frowned again and wondered why should would say that. Never met an American? What about TV, she should have been able to recognize her accent from TV at least!

"Don't you have a TV?" Natalie asked.

"TV?" Lucy questioned.

"Yeah... you know, television!" Natalie repeated.

"Oh! Television! I think I've seen those displayed in shops. No, my parents never owned one, they're much too expensive," Lucy shook her head.

"Lucy... what... what year is it... back home?" Natalie asked slowly.

"Nineteen forty-eight, of course!" Lucy frowned in confusion. "What a silly..." she trialed off and the dots connected in her head. "Oh... you're not from _my _time, are you?" she asked.

"I'm from two-thousand thirteen," Natalie affirmed.

"Wow! That's amazing!" Lucy gasped. "Well that explains a lot, doesn't it?" Lucy laughed. Natalie felt herself smiling back and nodded.

"We have arrived," the guardsman suddenly spoke, making both girl jerk toward him, startled.

"Wait til you meet Caspian and Edmund! They'll be thrilled to meet you!" Lucy gushed. Natalie raised an eyebrow at the girl's enthusiasm but kept to herself. When they entered the dining hall, Natalie saw two handsome young men sitting at the table, talking animatedly. They both wore regal looking robes and one of them had a crown on his head. "The one with the crown is Caspian, he's a king, and the other one across him is my brother, Edmund, he's also a King," Lucy explained.

"Really? So what does that make you? Princess?" Natalie asked, once more wide-eyed.

"No, I'm also a Queen," Lucy smiled.

"Really?" Natalie asked in surprise. She had been chatting with a Queen all this time! The men must have heard her for they turned and stood.

"Good morning, Lucy!" Caspian smiled.

"Morning, Lu" Edmund greeted as well.

"Good morning, boys. I'd like to introduce you to Natalie Valentine," Lucy said, gesturing to said older girl. Natalie smiled weakly, shyly and nodded to them as respectfully as she could manage.

"Good morning," she said. Caspian walked around the table and bowed, taking her hand and kissing it.

"A pleasure to meet you, my Lady," he said charmingly. "I am King Caspian, I welcome you to my castle," he said, bowing to her and smiling. Natalie knew he was trying to be charming, and she didn't want to seem ungrateful to his hospitality, so she forced herself to smile as pleased as she could, even though she was still a little freaked out by the situation.

The other man, Lucy's brother, walked over to them as well, though he rolled his eyes toward Caspian, seeming a bit annoyed. "Good morning, Ms Valentine, I'm Edmund," he said, putting his hand out to her. He had a hunch she would take better to this custom than all that knightly stuff from Caspian. The relieved look in her eyes told him he was right. Natalie took his hand and shook it. The moment their hands touched, Natalie felt something, something strange but oddly familiar as well. Glancing up at him she could see a gentle curiosity in his eyes. She felt her heart speed up but forced herself to calm down, wondering what was wrong with her.

"If uh, I may ask, aren't you a King also?" Natalie questioned, trying to distract herself.

"I am, but you don't have to be all formal with me and Lucy," Edmund smiled.

"Okay. Well, just call me Natalie, or Nat then," she told them.

"Natalie it is!" Caspian chimed in, then gestured to the seat. "May I?" he asked. Natalie raised an eyebrow but let him push her seat under her like a "gentleman". She found herself smiling in amusement at another roll of the eyes from Edmund. Clearly Lucy's brother was from a different world. She assumed he gave the older boy annoyed looks like that because Caspian was being over the top, and she had to agree there, but she wasn't about to go questioning a King's ways! "So, can you tell us a bit about yourself?" Caspian asked. "Where did you come from?"

And so Natalie told them her story and what time she was from. The reactions that she was from the future were predictable. The second time around, telling them her adventure so far, she found it a whole lot easier. Maybe there was hope for her yet! After her story, Natalie was content to just sit back and let the three talk about "the old days" a bit. She was never much one for social events, as it went against her own rule that she would not get close to anyone, but... despite that, she found it nice. After the meal and the talk, which had them asking a bit more about her, it was noon already and the servants set out lunch for them. Lunch was a bit more quiet, with the occasional comment here and there. She didn't eat much and she was glad that the other three were so engrossed in catching up to notice. After lunch, a servant went up to the table.

"My Lord, shall I show the guests to their rooms?" the older man asked.

"No, that's alright, I'll show them myself," Caspian smiled, standing. "Come on," he gestured to the three and they followed him. The castle was very large and Natalie knew that she would need a lot of help if she was ever going to figure out how to move around the place. Finally they reached the guest wing, where Caspian sent a servant to bring the "King and Queen" their things that they had left behind the last tme they were here and take them to their rooms. Luckily, the three rooms were just a door away from each other, so at least she would have some help while she was there. "Would you like to rest, Natalie?" Caspian asked.

"If that's alright?" Natalie answered. Truthfully, the whole day's events had worn her out. Maybe she would feel better with some sleep.

"Of course, I hope you rest well," the King smiled, bowing once more. Lucy and Edmund said their farewells as well and let her settle in her new room. Natalie sat on her decidedly comfortable bed and stared out her window, at the rolling hills in the landscape beyond. The last thing on her mind and she found her eyes shut, was what she had gotten herself into?

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: This is about the average length you'll be seeing from now on, though you might have to expect a few shorter ones as well, depending on how much material I have to work with. So what did everyone think? Let me know!

Shout-Outs:

**IlovesNevilleandFredandRonan dHarry**: Your wish is my command! By the way, your pen-name is very amusing :D

**MCH**: You're right, not very tranquil lol


	5. Chapter 4

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

* * *

Natalie woke with a start and looked around the room. The curtains were still drawn open, as they were... a few hours ago? Yesterday? It was hard to tell. She had fallen asleep when the sun was just setting, but it was still sunny out. It had to be barely evening, late afternoon perhaps. Looking out the window she noticed it was indeed dark out, however, it was a bit cloudy as well. 'What time is it?' she asked herself and looked down at her watch. It said eight in the morning but she had no idea what sort of difference in time there was in this place compared to her world. Getting up she walked over to the window once more and looked on at the beautiful landscape. Was there a way back home? Did she even _want _to go home?

A knock on the door tore her away from her thoughts. She yawned, glanced down at her wrinkled dress, and told whoever it was at the door that they could come in, she was still dressed after all.

Lucy poked her head in the room and smiled. "Good morning!" she greeted.

"Morning? What time is it?" Natalie asked.

"It's early, around seven maybe, haven't checked the clocks before I came here, sorry," Lucy blushed in embarrassment.

"It's alright," Natalie shook her head in dismissal. So it was earlier than she thought, no wonder it was still a bit dark out.

"Looks like it's going to be a nice day later on today," Lucy commented as she glanced out the window.

"What makes you say that?" the older girl asked.

"It was raining last night, I'm surprised it didn't wake you, it was pouring pretty hard. When it rains like that, it'll be a bit cloudy early in the day but then clear up by the afternoon," Lucy explained.

"Oh," Natalie said simply.

"May I come in?" Lucy asked.

"Sure."

Lucy walked in, pushing the door closed a bit and then sat down on her bed. "How are you today?" she asked in obvious concern.

"I'm much better than I was yesterday, thanks," Natalie replied. Natalie hesitated a moment before sitting down as well She was not used to really being social unless she had to, but decided she might have to start being a bit more at least until she... got home.

"Look, I know you must feel a bit out of place and lonely here, but just know that me, Edmund, and Caspian will be here if you need us, we'll be great friends if you let us," Lucy smiled. Natalie decided she liked this kid, she was very kind and genuinely wanted to help her.

'I'm going to regret this...' Natalie thought pessimistically. 'I shouldn't let her or her brother and Caspian get too close to me, they'll only get hurt,' she thought woefully. "Thanks..." Natalie answered, not having the heart to put the younger girl down. Truth be told, Natalie had never had anyone offer to be her friend like that. "I'm not really used to... people," she admitted.

"Really? Well, that's okay, in that case, it'll just take a bit of time," Lucy smiled amiably. "I'm going to go wake up my brother before he sleeps into the afternoon. If you want to wash up and clean you teeth before breakfast, the wash area is just there," Lucy pointed toward a corner of the room. "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"Thanks," Natalie nodded, watching her new... _friend,_ go.

Natalie looked on at the wash area dubiously. She walked over and found a wash basin with a cloth, and a shelf with a bundle of straw and pleasant smelling paste. "This must be their version if dental care," she mused. As she washed up that morning she analyzed herself. She didn't feel quite as trapped and depressed as before, strange how she could feel so much better in just a few days. Maybe she really needed a vacation after all! Working for two years in two different but equally horrible jobs to pay for a sorry excuse of an apartment was not really a way to live. And that wasn't even counting the things she went through at the orphanage and homes.

After finishing freshening up, she went over to the drawer and pulled it open. There were a nice variety of dresses. She was never really the type to worry about clothes or fashion and usually just wore what was comfortable, so she wasn't sure what to put on. 'Oh well, I don't think it matters, ' she figured and pulled out the dress on the top part of the pile. Slipping out of her own clothes she got a good look at herself in the full length mirror. She was too thin and barely had anything to work with because of it, so she wasn't sure how well the dress would fit her. In the end, the dress her fine and all she had to do next was fix her hair. That didn't take long either. Once she was finished, she slipped on a pair of elegant looking sandals and opened her door. She found Lucy waiting for her. "You didn't have to wait for me..." Natalie said.

"It's no trouble!" Lucy looked over and found Natalie standing by her door. "Wow, Natalie! That dress looks simply wonderful on you!" she gushed.

"Thanks..." Natalie said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Shall we be off? I bet Caspian is waiting for us. Edmund went down already so we don't have to wait for him," Lucy mentioned.

"Sure, but don't we need a guard or whatever to show us the way?" Natalie asked.

"No, that's okay, I think I remember the way now," Lucy answered. She wasn't sure about Lucy, but Natalie always felt awkward when no one spoke, but then, it was probably just that she was never much around too many people besides work so she wasn't used to it. They made it to the dining hall to find Caspian laughing at something that obviously wasn't very funny to Edmund.

"Good morning boys, what's so funny?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Just reminding Edmund about the time he took a tumble on the Dawn Treader, had his foot caught on some rope!" Caspian grinned.

"I told you, I didn't trip, someone bumped into me," Edmund denied, crossing his arms. Natalie followed Lucy over to the table. "Oh and good morning Lucy and Na-" it was then the two men noticed Natalie's new look.

Lucy glanced over at her brother and discreetly smacked his arm, making him shut his mouth and blush in embarrassment. Natalie had thankfully not caught any of this, as she was too worried about the silence in the room, but she did feel everyone's eyes heavily on her. She looked up and gave them a curious look. "Is there something wrong?" she asked anxiously. 'Was I wrong to wear this dress?' she wondered. She caught Lucy's brother's intense stare and felt herself blush even as he quickly looked down at his plate. That's odd, she usually didn't notice if someone noticed her, she was usually too busy trying to keep to herself. Why would he garner any reaction from her?

"My lady," Natalie snapped out of her musing and looked over to the King of the castle. "Though you are indeed _most_ beautiful -in that dress, perhaps we could later find you something... less formal to wear?" Caspian said, unable to keep the blush from his own cheeks.

"Oh, sorry, I just put on the first thing I saw, I figured I'd look too foreign still wearing my clothes?" Natalie apologized. 'Come on, why are they staring at me like that, I am _not _that pretty!' she thought.

"No need to apologize, no harm done," Caspian smiled.

"So should I go change or something?"

"No!" Both Caspian and Edmund said in unison once more. Lucy, as before, rolled her eyes at the men.

"Uh... okay..." Natalie raised an eyebrow but shrugged and walked over to them.

"So, how do you like it here so far?" Edmund asked, trying to cover up for his embarrassing reaction earlier. The moment he saw her, he felt his breath get caught in his throat. Even though he had seen many beautiful women in the days that he ruled with his siblings, he had never seen someone who could look so natural and so exotic at the same time. She wasn't the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but something about her caught his attention like nothing else. He wasn't sure what it was yet, but he planned to find out.

"It's nice so far, though I haven't seen much," Natalie shrugged. "To tell you the truth, sometimes I still think I'm dreaming..."

"Yeah, we were like that when we first came here too," Edmund smiled.

"Just out of curiosity, is there... any way back?" Natalie asked, though she was sure now that she really didn't _want _to go back.

"There isn't, not until Aslan says it is," he told her.

"Aslan?" Natalie frowned. Why did that name sound familiar?

"You'll meet him soon," Lucy smiled.

"Would you like a tour of the castle? In fact, would the two of you like one too? I don't think you really got to see it last time," Caspian offered.

"Sure!" Lucy smiled.

"Why not," Edmund shrugged.

"Okay," Natalie nodded. She wouldn't mind seeing more of it. She had always liked medieval themed things, and this was certainly as medieval as it got!

And so, Caspian took the group out and began walking with them down the halls, waving away offered assistance from the many loyal subjects. He showed them the council room, which was empty at the moment, and told them that he held meetings there pretty frequently in an effort to discuss plans on keeping the peace. He showed them the war room, also empty, and a couple drawing rooms and studies. Further in was the kitchen and storage rooms, followed by the public bath in an adjacent room and training room. When he got to the library, he paused when he saw the obvious interest in his newest friend.

"Do you enjoy books?" Caspian

"I do," Natalie nodded, eying the tall bookshelves filled to the brim with tomes. "I've always been a scholar at heart," she admitted.

"Then you're more than welcomed to spend as much time here as you like," Caspian smiled.

"Thanks," Natalie answered.

"How may I help you, your majesties?" An older man with white medium length hair pulled back into a tight pony-tail and a bushy white beard walked over.

"Oh I'm not-" Natalie was cut off with a wink by Caspian.

"Actually, _Princess _Natalie here is new to the castle," he told the man.

"Is that so?" The man said. "Well allow me to introduce myself, my good Lady. My name is Marcus Levant, it is a pleasure to have you here, my Lady," Marcus bowed. Natalie glared at the still grinning Caspian and allowed the man to take her hand and kiss it.

"Thank you," Natalie said as politely as she could, though a bit of irritation slipped by, making Caspian have to hold in a laugh.

"Natalie if you want, and the professor doesn't mind, you may have lessons about our land with him here?" Caspian offered, attempting to get back in the good graces of his new friend.

"That sounds great," Natalie felt a ghost of a smile tilt her lips up slightly. "If you don't mind?" she turned to the professor.

"It would be my honor, my Lady!" the professor bowed again.

"We will return to our tour now, thank you professor," Caspian nodded to the older man and led his guests onward.

"What happened to your old professor, Cornelius?" Edmund asked.

"The good professor found himself a wife and settled down," Caspian answered with a far off look and a fond smile, thinking about his old friend. "Marcus is a friend of his who offered to work here in his stead," he added. The next place they go to was the door that led to the stables and the courtyard. Caspian informed them that they could take the horses out to ride whenever they had free time.

"I don't really know how to ride a horse..." Natalie admitted, blushing in embarrassment.

"Do not worry, plenty of us know how to ride, we could show you," Caspian answered. By the time the tour ended, It was already getting late. It wouldn't have taken so long if Caspian didn't stop to greet every subject that passed them in the hall and stopped to explain what each room was for. It was a charming side to him though, so Natalie supposed it wasn't so bad.

"This place certainly is big," Natalie mentioned.

"Yes, forgive me, we were moving slowly," Caspian answered. "I believe dinner will be served soon," he announced.

"Dinner? Didn't we just have lunch?" Lucy questioned. The group had stopped for a quick lunch during the tour. Caspian had told them how different, warmer the castle was with the absence of his uncle. Natalie had to wonder why he would say that and grew curious about the history of this castle.

"Works for me, I must admit I'm getting a bit peckish," Edmund added.

"That's only because you have a big belly," Lucy teased.

"What can I say? I'm a growing boy!" Edmund threw back.

"Please play nice, _children_," Caspian joked.

"Who are you calling a child?" Edmund retaliated, crossing his arms and glaring at him in mock anger.

"I'm pretty sure he was calling _you_ one," Lucy stuck her tongue out.

"Come on, let's head back before the cook decides not to feed us at all," Caspian chuckled.

"I don't think that would effect Edmund's stomach size much?" Natalie attempted to joke and immediately kicked herself, worried that she went over the respectable boundaries there, after all, they were royalty and she hardly knew them. She inwardly sighed in relief when Caspian and Lucy began laughing wholeheartedly. Even Edmund tried to stop himself from smiling, even though he tried to look offended, though Natalie was still not sure if it was real or not.

"I think you'll fit in with us just fine," Lucy grinned at her new friend.

"Thanks..." Natalie blushed. As they turned to head back in, she chanced a look at Edmund. Edmund felt her eyes on him and looked over, seeing the guilty look on her face, he grinned at her and shook his head, letting her know she didn't do anything wrong. He turned back before she could react but was thankful, she still wasn't sure if it was a good idea to let them get too close to her. In any case, the group arrived at the dining hall and only had to wait a bit before dinner was served. Natalie was still not used to eating dinner so early, the sun had barely begun to set so she assumed it wasn't so late in the evening.

As they ate, Natalie once again mostly stayed silent and just observed them interact. There was an easy companionship among them, telling her that they must have gone through a lot together. She wished she could feel as comfortable with people, but then a thought occurred to her. She couldn't remember feeling uneasy around them! Maybe hope wasn't so lost for her? After dinner, Caspian offered a game a chess, Edmund declined but Lucy took up the offer.

"But you dislike chess!" Edmund said, his eyebrow up.

"I don't _dislike _chess, I _dislike _playing it with _you_, you cheat," Lucy explained.

"I do not! You're just a spoiled sport," Edmund retaliated.

"Hey, I think I'm going to try to make my way back and turn in early," Natalie said, interrupting the sibling spat.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'll walk with you," Edmund offered. Natalie didn't say anything but allowed him to lead the way.

"You've been pretty quiet," Edmund observed.

"I'm... not used to this type of thing, you know? I'm a bit overwhelmed to tell you the truth," she admitted. Natalie _wasn't _trying to get closer, she just thought he might like to know, _really._

"I understand," Edmund nodded. "I felt the same way at first. At least you don't have to go through what I did," he told her.

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked.

"Well, when we first got here, we landed in the middle of a war... we were, well, pretty young," he shrugged. "My brother Peter was the oldest, but he still didn't know much about war and had to learn quick how to lead an army into battle. I was younger and had to follow in his footsteps. Together, we all had to grow up fast and become warriors from the start, even though we didn't know anything about it, we barely knew how to take care of ourselves, no matter how many fencing classes Peter and I had in school," Edmund shook his head. "Anyway, we had to deal with a lot... I'm not saying you have it easy, but just know this, Natalie, we'll be here for you if you need us, me, Lucy, and Caspian," he told her.

Natalie felt herself smile at him, surprised by how easily it came, at least, around him. She had never found it easy showing her emotions off vulnerable side to anyone, not lately anyway, so she wondered what that meant. In the past, either she or the person that she mistakenly allowed to get close to her got hurt in the end... but something told her that it wouldn't be the same here, not with these people, not with him. Natalie pushed those thoughts away and bid him a goodnight. As she readied herself for bed that night, she had to wonder if this place was starting to heal her.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit boring, I'm trying to build the story up and develop my character without cutting some arms or legs off by rushing it.

Shout-Outs:

**The Cretin**: How was I supposed to know you liked TCON? Hi! Been a while! Nice to see you again! I hope you like my story so far! I will take you advice to heart :)


	6. Chapter 5

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

**A/N**: Just so you know, I go into a bit of the history of Narnia from the books, before the movies. If anyone has ever read The Magician's Nephew, you'll recognize some things I say!

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Natalie woke up on her own the next morning. She knew it was morning now because Caspian had kindly had a small clock placed on the small table beside her bed. It didn't have an alarm on it, of course, but at least it let her know the time. She decided to put her own watch away, leave it in the drawer her table. Watches like that could attract too much unwanted attention. As she readied herself that morning, she made sure to choose something more modest to wear than what she had woren yesterday. She found a simple yet comfortable looking dress that went well with her own boots. As she finished washing up, a now familiar knock told her that Lucy was there. Natalie went over and opened her door.

"Good morning, Natalie!" Lucy smiled. Natalie nodded to her and Edmund who stood behind her some, leaning against a wall. He nodded back with a smile. "Oh, that's much better," Natalie's attention went back to the younger girl.

"The dress? Yeah, I figured it might be a bit more... appropriate?" Natalie ventured.

"It is, come on, let's go get some breakfast," Lucy suggested. Natalie nodded and followed her out. "So, do you have any family back home?" Lucy asked curiously. When Natalie looked away and remained silent, she felt like a total jerk. Of course Aslan wouldn't bring her here if everything was perfect back at home! "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"No, no, it's okay. I don't have any family," Natalie admitted, staring straight ahead.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Lucy's eyes were wide. "I shouldn't have asked..."

"It's alright, really. You didn't know," Natalie shook her head.

"Maybe... you have a bigger purpose here? Maybe you'll find family here?" Edmund suggested. Natalie glanced over to him, trying hard not to smile. She found it surprising how difficult that was here, with these people. Or was it just with him? It had been the complete opposite back "home", finding it difficult to be social. It seemed this place brought the best out of her. Yet... she still wasn't sure about letting them get too close to her, so instead, she simply nodded, agreeing with him. "Say, Natalie, would you like to see Narnia after breakfast?" he asked her after a beat.

"Sure," Natalie nodded, tearing her gaze away from him and wondering what her problem was. Tour Narnia? Sounded good to her. That would certainly take her mind off of the dark memories that had started trying to poke their way out of their cages. It was only a few days ago that she was reminded of the death of her family in that fateful accident. A tour around Narnia sounded like just the thing she needed. During breakfast, Natalie wondered what Edmund meant when he said she might find family there. Did it mean that their friendships in this place often ended up being more of a family unit, or did it mean something else?

"So we were hoping we could take Natalie out and show her around Narnia a bit?" Lucy was saying.

"That sounds like a good idea," Caspian nodded. "I'll have a carriage prepared for you three."

"You're not coming?" Lucy asked.

"I'm afraid not. I have some business to attend to this morning, but I'll see you all later," Caspian explained.

After breakfast, the carriage was ready and Edmund, Lucy and Natalie boarded it. It took them a while to leave the area around castle Caspian. All there was to see there really were massive rock formations and rocky shores. It had it's charms as well, but Edmund and Lucy wanted to show Natalie the truly beautiful areas of Narnia. "This is pretty neat," Natalie mentioned. The carriage bumped around the dusty road, the windows open to the beautiful rolling hills and far off mountains with snowy caps. Oh how she would just like to hike up one of those mountains and play in the snow! Shaking her head out of her uncharacteristic fantasy, she turned to Edmund as he spoke.

"You've never ridden a carriage before?" The young King asked.

"Nope, it's a bit bumpier than I expected though," she told him.

"Yes, it takes a bit of getting used to," he nodded. They road along, Lucy pointing out with her finger to things in the distance, almost falling out of the carriage window a couple times in her excitement.

"Lucy, settle down!" Edmund had to remind her.

"We're close to Beaver's Dam, actually, almost on top of it," Lucy explained. "Caspian said that his ancestors built their castle over it."

"Beaver's Dam?" Natalie frowned in confusion and looked about. The only water source she saw was the vast ocean in the distance.

"Yes, it was home to a few of our old friends, a long time ago," Lucy looked out the window, a sad expression filtering in her face. Edmund placed a hand on his sister's shoulder, receiving a reassuring smile from her.

"I'm sorry for your loss," Natalie said, having understood the scene. She knew loss well, after all.

"Thanks. Anyway, Cair Paravel is some miles away from here, a bit too far to visit today, but one day it would be lovely if we could show you it," Lucy said.

"Cair Paravel? I assume it's a castle?" Natalie guessed.

"Right, how did you know?" Edmund questioned. He knew of course that she wasn't stupid, she could guess that pretty easily, anyone could, but it was just that he didn't remember anyone ever mentioning it, though now that he thought of it, didn't Caspian say something about it before?

"I heard Caspian talking about it with you guys earlier, and I just assume it's a castle if you guys are royalty..." Natalie informed them. Edmund nodded, now remembering the conversation.

"That's right, Caspian did mention rebuilding it," Lucy grinned.

"It's a much nicer castle than this," Edmund told her.

"You're not being biased, are you?" Natalie said, attempting to tease him.

"I suppose I am, but it's also true," Edmund said, giving her a lopsided smile.

Natalie blinked in surprise when she felt a fluttery sensation with he gave her the crooked smile. 'It... It must be anxiety about my current situation or something...' she thought, fervently denying it was anything else. "...So why is it being rebuilt anyway?" Natalie asked, trying to recompose herself.

"Long ago, thirteen hundred years to be precise, when we left after living there a while and ruling over Narnia," Lucy began, waiting for Natalie to ask about the absurdity of what she just said. When Natalie remained silent, she went on. "The Telmarines, Caspian's people, invaded and destroyed Cair Paravel in an attempt to usurp control over Narnia," she finished.

"Wow, so how did Caspian end up being King and all?" Natalie titled her head to the side, trying to figure out why Edmund and Lucy would approve of him if his people destroyed their castle and took over their kingdom.

"He helped save Narnia from one of the last tyrants," Edmund told her. "That and Aslan gave him his blessing to take over," he added.

"You guys don't miss it?"

"Nah, I mean, it'd be nice to revisit the glory days but I have a feeling Narnia won't be in need of us much longer," he said seriously. "Caspian has been doing a great job so far so I see no reason why he can't continue to be king of Narnia," he shrugged. As they rode along, Lucy went on to explain the many fantastical and wonderful things that there used to be more of in Narnia, though it was slowly coming back too. Dancing trees, singing Dryads, spirits, music, laughter, and other magical things. Natalie shook her head several times and told them it sounded a lot like some sort of fantasy, but she also wished she could see it.

By the time they returned, it was late afternoon. The staff had cooked a meal for them and they ate in companionable silence, something Natalie was getting better at feeling comfortable with. A few moments after their meal ended, Caspian strode in the room with a serious look on his face. "Edmund, Lucy, would you come with me to the council room? We're discussing topics on how to maintain the peace and your input and counsel would be much appreciated," he requested.

"Of course," Edmund nodded.

"You are welcomed to come and listen in if you wish," Caspian said, turning to Natalie.

"That's alright. Actually, I think I'll go visit the professor and learn a bit more about Narnia?" Natalie said.

"That sounds good," Caspian nodded. "We will see you later then," he bowed slightly to her and led his friends out.

"Now to find the library..." Natalie muttered.

"My lady, if I may? I could show you?" A servant woman suggested as she was passing by.

"Oh, that'd be great, thank you," Natalie nodded. Once she made it to the library, she met with the old scholar.

"Ah, Princess Natalie was it?"

Natalie shook her head. "No, sir, Casp- King Caspian made that up," she corrected, covering up her slip-up quickly. She had no idea how people would react to her calling their King simply by his name. She wondered if it was a good idea to reveal that she wasn't in fact royal, but she felt that it didn't matter if this man knew the truth, he seemed kind and trustworthy enough.

"Yes, I might have known by that look on his face. My Lord is always causing mischief like that," Marcus shook his head, though it was obvious by the amused and fond smile that he wasn't upset. "At any rate, my Lady, you are his honored guest, and that makes you just as special," he smiled.

"Thanks..." Natalie answered, feeling a bit awkward with the odd praise.

"So how may I help you?" he asked curiously.

"I'd like to know a bit more about the history of this place, if that's okay?"

"Certainly!" Marcus smiled. He, like his colleague Doctor Cornellius, was well versed in the history of the land.

Marcus told her about long ago, before the Golden Age, a supreme being, the creator of Narnia, was said to have come down to Narnia and take up the form of a majestic lion. The lion was called Aslan and he oversaw all of Narnia, becoming the first and true King. He sculpted Narnia into the world it was today with the help of a mysterious set of people, reported to come from another world entirely. These people, a female and a male human, became the first. The male was called an Adam, and the female was called an Eve, and every human since then were named children of theirs to honor them. Soon, more people began to appear in Narnia, who formed countries of their own, Calormen, Telmar and Archenland being the majority, ruled by "sons and daughters" of Adam and Eve.

Before the great dark age of Narnia, also called the endless winter, an evil sorceress, named Jadis, though most called her the White Witch, who had been there during the creation of Narnia, defeated Aslan in a mighty battle and plunged Narnia in an endless winter. For hundreds of years there was nothing but misery and cold throughout the land. The Golden Age began when four sons and daughters of Adam and Eve appeared in Narnia and helped overthrow Jadis and restore proper balance, becoming who are now referred to the Kings and Queens of old. For a bit over a decade they ruled over Narnia, bringing peace and prosperity with them. Another age of darkness emerged when they suddenly vanished.

Telmar, with fear and ignorance in their hearts over the magic and intelligent beasts within the land, thought them demons and hunted them down. Telmar took advantage of the absence of the mighty Kings and Queens. They invaded Narnia, decimating all who opposed them. Many Narnians tried to hold up in Cair Paravel, defend it, but were ultimately defeated and Cair Paravel fell. The King, Caspian the first, had his castle built over the White Witch's old palace and there they had remained until the Kings and Queens of old returned.

The King and Queen of castle Caspian at the time had died, leaving their son, Caspian the tenth, to inherit the castle. However, it was Miraz, the King's brother, who murdered his brother for the throne. But because Miraz had no heir, he kept Caspian alive, deceiving the boy. It didn't take long at all before Miraz had his own son. Caspian was able to run from his uncle, seeking help from the Narnians. Caspian discovered the Kings and Queens of old, now much younger than they were portrayed in the paintings and books. Together with Caspian, they overthrew evil from Narnia once more and gave Caspian their blessing to become the next son of Adam to take the throne of Narnia.

When Marcus finished his lesson, he was surprised to find Natalie completely enthralled by the tale, having expected her to have fallen asleep. "Any questions?" Marcus asked in amusement. Natalie was seated at the table with books all around as Marcus explained the history, using references. Her head was supported on her palms as she silently took in all of what Marcus told her.

"A million," Natalie ventured a small smile. 'Lion... I kept seeing a lion before coming here! Could it have been Aslan?' she thought suddenly, frowning to herself.

"About?" Marcus probed, seeing the obvious questions in her eyes.

'Maybe... hmm, but maybe it's best I keep that to myself for now? I barely know these people anyway,' Natalie thought. "Were... Edmund and Lucy two of the four?" She asked instead.

"Yes, they were," Marcus nodded. Natalie sat back, speechless. Edmund and Lucy helped defeat evil time and again and fought in wars... that was incredible! She wondered how old they were when all of that happened. Surely they were a lot older when they defeated the witch, right? "If you have more questions about them, it might be best if you asked them directly, I'm sure they could give you more colorful answers," Marcus smiled. It wasn't ever day he had a student so eager to learn more.

"I will!" Natalie responded, unable to stop from smiling. It wasn't as if Natalie never smiled, not at all, it was just she didn't want to give too many people a reason to get closer. She _was _still human though and could not stop herself from expressing basic human emotions such as the occasional happiness and excitement. It seemed there was a _lot _more of it here. After thanking Marcus and agreeing to come back another day for more lessons, Natalie wandered out. It was just a little bit later that she met up with Lucy in the hall. Natalie told her all she learned from Lucy, and told her she had a million questions. Lucy laughed, promising to tell her everything she wanted to know later, right now it was dinner time and she had been coming over to look for her. "Dinner?" Natalie asked in shock. Had the lessons really taken the whole day? It felt like just a few minutes ago she was having breakfast with everyone!

"We didn't see you all day and only assumed you were still at the library, are you hungry?" Lucy asked.

"I-" but before Natalie could answer, her stomach did for her, grumbling insistently. Natalie found herself laughing softly along with Lucy.

"I'll take that as a yes! Come on," Lucy said, leading the way.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: You might start seeing a little more interesting interaction between Natalie and Edmund if you're paying close attention...


	7. Chapter 6

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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When Natalie and Lucy entered the dining hall, the boys looked up and smiled. "Good to see you again, Natalie," Caspian said as he and Edmund stood.

"Thanks," Natalie replied.

"How were your lessons with Professor Marcus?" The older of the group asked.

"They were great, thank you," she said. As they sat to eat, Natalie remained quiet, simply observing them. The three walked and laughed with each other in such a care-free manner. She remembered what Marcus had told her about them, how the three of them fought in a revolution to free Narnia from Miraz. Edmund and Lucy had been in many more battles, but how old where they then? The Professor had told her they ruled over Narnia for more than a decade, but that would mean, like her own situation, time-travel would be involved. She had to think of how amazing their adventures must have been, even as she was aware that battles and politics where not exactly thrilling. She still wished she could somehow become part of something meaningful as well.

"So what did Professor Marcus teach you?" Edmund asked after a bit.

Natalie looked up at him. "I leaned a lot about Narnian history," she replied.

"Anything interesting?" Lucy questioned with a knowing smile.

"Everything, like I said before, I love learning new things and I had a lot to learn about this place. I have a lot of questions about this place and you guys. If you don't mind, I'd like to know more about you some time?" Natalie answered slowly. She didn't want to push them for their past, but she was very curious.

Edmund was the one to answer. "We'll tell you all about our history at another time," he nodded. Natalie didn't want to push him, if they didn't want to talk about it now, it was their prerogative. She had to wonder why they seemed to reluctant to talk about their past though. She understood of course, she too had a lot kept to herself about her past and besides, she was sure some things they had to go through were not exactly pleasant.

After dinner, Natalie felt a yawn coming up but kept it down and declared she would again turn in early. As before, Edmund jumped to the chance to walk her out. As they left the dining hall, Lucy watched them, noticing how Edmund would walk very close to her and smile as often as he could. 'Curious...' Lucy thought, then turned to her old friend. "What do you think, Caspian?" Lucy muttered.

"About?" Caspian questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"How do you suppose Natalie feels about us?"

"Not sure, she's pretty quiet but she doesn't seem to be too troubled," Caspian smiled and nodded to the servants that began clearing the table.

"I think Edmund might _like _Natalie..," she said.

"Like? Well of course he does, we all like... oh. Well. Yes, perhaps. I see no reason why he shouldn't. She's attractive and kind and has something unique about her," Caspian observed, scratching his beard in thought.

"What do you suppose that is?" Lucy asked.

"She seems to observe a lot, question everything, and, yes that's it, she hasn't once tried to flirt with us!" Caspian snapped his fingers.

"Why should that be so note-worthy?"

"I can't remember how it was before I became King for Peter and Edmund, but I remember having women try to get closer to me quite often. I'm sure it was the same with Edmund in the Golden Age, was it not?" Caspian questioned.

"You're right, it happened like that for him too. I suppose it is different that Natalie isn't trying to flirt with either of you. But what strikes me as odd is Ed's behavior. Edmund had never really paid much attention to women, not even the ones that tried to flirt with him when we were adults. He always found those women annoying and never tried dating when we returned home," Lucy explained.

"Maybe he was waiting for the right one," Caspian shrugged. "There's a first for everything."

"And maybe Natalie just sees you both as friends, or worse, _brothers_," Lucy teased, though she was half serious.

"Now that's just crazy," Caspian grinned.

Meanwhile, Natalie listened to Edmund as he spoke of his favorite spots in Narnia that they didn't have the time to see, including a quiet brook in the woods between castle Caspian and Cair Paravel, and a nice looking lake he had seen nearby. "A lake, huh? Sounds nice, I've always enjoyed swimming when I was younger," Natalie said with a smile, savoring the fond memory.

"Really? Then we'll have to go down there and check it out some time!" Edmund grinned. "We could play Marco Polo," he suggested.

"Oh I love that game! I used to play it with..." Natalie trailed off and grimaced.

"With?" Edmund frowned in confusion, he had finally gotten her to smile and sound happy but suddenly she closed herself off again. "Natalie?"

"I'm sorry, yeah, um... I used to play it with my older brother," She admitted, looking at the carpet they walked on.

"I didn't know you had a brother," Edmund smiled.

"Had, yeah, long ago..."

"Oh, well now I feel like a big jerk," Edmund frowned sadly.

"Nah," Natalie shook her head and chanced another smile. "It's alright, that was a long time ago," she reassured him. It was then she realized this was the first time that she felt comfortable talking to someone about her family. "My brother loved to swim, taught me how in fact. We would go out to our pond in our summer home and play with our parents all day. Then at night we would lay out on blankets, watching the stars." Natalie jumped slightly when she felt Edmund's thumb brush her cheek. She hadn't realized she had been crying. Looking up she felt her heart race at how close they were, their noses nearly touching. She had never been this close to a boy.

"Sounds like it was a lot of fun," Edmund said, his voice soft and soothing. Natalie could only nod, her voice lost. "Thank you for telling me," he said gently. Natalie found herself lost in his eyes. They were like swirling pools of silky dark chocolate, beckoning her to bask in them. She shook her head slightly, trying to clear it, and backed away. Edmund let his hand drop from her cheek and tried not to feel hurt by her actions; he understood how reclusive she was, and now understood a bit more about her, why she was the way she was. If he had ever lost his family like she did... he didn't even want to think about it.

"Good night, ...Ed?" Natalie ventured, relieved when Edmund smiled widely and nodded in approval.

"Good night," he nodded to her and walked over to his room one door down. As Natalie prepared for bed, she came to the realization that she had irrevocably made friends with these people, despite her – rather weak – attempts to keep them at bay. She wasn't even sure _how _they became friends! She hardly spoke to them and only smiled when absolutely necessary, never mind that she felt herself smiling more and more with each day. They seemed to like her so she supposed it was meant to be. Being honest with herself, she decided she really liked them too. Edmund in particular was very charming, even when it was obvious he wasn't trying to be, unlike Caspian. She shook her head, pushing the memory of his close proximity and gentle touch away and settled for bed.

As she fell asleep, memories of an old best friend popped into her head. He was a boy she had been friends with before the death of her parents, a boy she had a crush on, who apparently liked her too. He was also the first friend she lost. His house had burned down when he and his family were all asleep. Natalie fell into fitful sleep, dreaming of fire and smoke suffocating her while the voice of her friend screamed for her to save him. Suddenly the images banished and were replaced by a soothing presence. She only saw white around her but could feel something soft, like fur. Something told her to not fear the unknown, to not let her past dictate her present and predict her future. She had no more nightmares.

The next morning, Edmund and Lucy noticed a change in Natalie, she seemed a lot more cheerful than they were used to. "Good morning," she greeted them with a smile. Well _that _was different! Certainly good, but different!

"You're certainly in bright spirits this morning," Lucy smiled back.

"Yeah, I feel pretty good," Natalie shrugged.

"I'm glad," Edmund said, catching her eye.

Natalie could see a gentleness in his eyes she had not noticed before. 'His eyes, they really are pretty, aren't they?' she mused.

"Caspian said he had something planned for us today, I wonder what's up his sleeve this time," Lucy mentioned, snapping her out of her thoughts. She blushed slightly, hoping she hadn't gotten caught staring, and turned to the siblings.

"I guess we'll find out!" Edmund chimed. It turned out that Caspian had planned to go out horse-back riding across the country side.

"Hey- remember, I don't know how to ride a horse..." Natalie reminded them.

"Oh! Forgive me, I forgot! Not a problem, riding a horse is easy, I'll teach you," Caspian smiled. He led them to the stables and walked Natalie over to a – so called – gentle horse named Jack. Natalie was a bit surprised when Lucy, in all seriousness, asked if Jack or the other horses spoke. She was even more surprised when Caspian told her that not _those _horses spoke, clearly implying that other horses spoke. Now Natalie was aware of the talking animals around, but she hadn't realized every different kind of animal spoke! "Jack is a patient horse, Natalie, come on over and step on the spur here," Caspian gestured as he finished tightening the saddle over the horse.

"Ah, I'm not so sure..." Natalie said, feeling worried about this. She had been known to be a bit clumbsie when she was younger and wondered if she grew out of it. This horse was _huge_, she wasn't too sure if she could even pull herself up on it.

"Like this, it's easy," Edmund said, almost launching himself over the horse as he mounted it.

"Oh sure, show off why don't you," Natalie shook her head, earning a small laugh from her friend.

"Don't mind my silly brother, Natalie-"

"Silly?!" Edmund sounded affronted but Lucy ignored him.

"It's really not as difficult as you think it is," she assured her.

"You know, on second thought, I think I'll just wait here..." Natalie backed up a bit. Part of herself hated herself for being a coward and not at least _trying _this, but another felt like something would go wrong if she tried.

She was glad Lucy and Edmund didn't try to pressure her, but Caspian would have none of it. "No, no, come on, don't back out of this now! We would really like you to come with us! Come, it's easy! Here, step here, and hop up, I promise you'll be fine!" Caspian insisted, steadying the horse. Natalie took a deep breath for courage and nodded. She stepped on the spur and tried to mimic what Edmund had shown her, launching upwards and swinging over onto the saddle.

"Oh no!" Lucy gasped.

"Caspian!" Natalie cried in fear as she suddenly tipped back after pushing herself up on the spur too quickly. Caspian tried to move quickly to catch her, but just missed her the first time. Natalie felt her foot get caught in the spur as the horse reared up, having been spooked by her shout. Natalie felt her foot twist awkwardly as her body was flung down. Caspian caught her the second time, just before she hit the floor. From there everything was a blur. The shock of the pain from her foot silenced her, even as her face turned red from pain. Edmund and Lucy ran over, skidding to a halt beside she and Caspian.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked with worry.

"Can you move your toes?" Edmund asked, but Natalie continued to stare into the distance in shock. "Natalie?" he edged closer, placing his hand on her cheek and making her look at him. "Natalie, can you move your toes for me?" he asked softly. Natalie seemed to snap out of it at his touch and her face contorted in painful concentration.

"I... I-I think so..." She stuttered, gritting her teeth from the pain and fighting the tears. She was eighteen, damn it! She would not cry!

"Good, it's not broken then," Edmund nodded, releasing her.

"I'm _so very_ sorry!" Caspian said, still gaping in shock.

"Caspian, she needs a doctor, don't just sit there!" Edmund insisted.

"Yes! Of course! You're right!" Caspian pulled away and began running out.

"Wait a moment, what about-" Edmund sighed and shook his head. "Do you mind if I pick you up?" he asked, turning to Natalie as Lucy supported her in Caspian's absence. When he received a nod from her, Lucy moved away so Edmund could slip his arm under her knees and lift her up. Natalie's arm went around his neck, her face hiding in his shoulder as she gripped him tightly, trying to stop from crying out in pain with every jostle she had as Edmund followed Caspian. "I'm sorry," Edmund whispered to her when he had shifted her a little so she would fit better in his arms. Natalie shook her head and found herself moving closer into his embrace. Edmund felt himself flush at the contact, feeling her breath on his neck.

Natalie, on the other hand, was not oblivious to how nice it felt, despite the agony she was in. He had strong arms and smelled like leaves caught in embers, smokey and with a hint of spice of some sort. In her delirious state, she found herself enjoying being held by him. All too soon she felt herself lose contact with him and glanced around to see herself in her room with everyone, plus one other old man standing around her. "Hello, young one," the old man said gently, smiling tenderly at her, much like a grandfather would. "Let's have a look at that foot, shall we?" he said and traced his rough fingers along her ankle. Natalie gasped in pain and shot her hand to the closest person, grabbing Edmund's arm. Edmund blinked down at her and his eyes softened. He took her hand and held it in his, squeezing it comfortingly.

"How is she? Is she okay? Will her foot heal?" Caspian asked anxiously, feeling an enormity of guilt swarming within him. Lucy pat his arm comfortingly.

"Calm yourself, young master," the doctor said, chastising Caspian in a paternal manner, giving light to his relationship with the King. "I do not see any evidence of a break or a sprain, but her ligament here-" he pointed to her ankle. "-is swollen," he explained. "She'll be fine, her foot will heal if she stays off it for a few days."

"How... how many days?" Natalie asked.

"Four or five at least, dear girl. I'll be checking up on you periodically and we'll see how you are in four days, okay?" the doctor said softly. When the doctor left to get his supplies to dress her foot, Caspian and Edmund walked over.

"I am _so so _sorry, Natalie, please forgive me," Caspian begged.

"It's fine, Caspian... you were just trying to break me out of my shell, and I thank you for it," Natalie smiled, trying to ease his worry.

"But I promised you would be fine!" He all but whined.

"I'm fine!" Natalie laughed softly.

"Are you comfortable? Do you need another pillow?" Edmund asked in concern.

Lucy had been patient, she really had, and she did find this amusming, but enough was enough! "Honestly you boys are acting like mother hens! Be off and go play with your swords and leave her in peace!" Lucy scolded them, laughing in amusement at their blushes. The men nodded and shuffled out, both feeling bad about the situation, though it was clear that it would take some more time for Caspian to stop beating himself up.

"I've never had people besides my family care for me like that," Natalie admitted with a fond smile.

"It's nice, isn't it? Even if they were a bit much," Lucy laughed.

"Agreed!" The girls laughed. "Lucy? Can I ask you something about your family?" Natalie asked carefully. She hoped her friend wouldn't refuse again.

"Go ahead," Lucy nodded.

"How old were you guys when you first came here?" She asked. So Lucy told her about her eldest brother, Peter, her elder sister, Susan, Edmund and herself, revealing that they were in fact _children _when they were in their first war! Natalie was dumbstruck by this revelation. Edmund had told her that Peter and himself had to learn quickly to fight in a war, grow up quick, but if they had to do that when Peter himself was barely a teenager, that was ridiculous! Lucy explained that at first, Edmund had been a jerk and had fallen into bad crowd, making the rest of them search for him and cement themselves further into the affairs of Narnia, discovering a prophecy about them along the way.

When Natalie asked about Edmund, Lucy was reluctant to tell her, saying that it was best that she get his side of the story. Lucy observed her new friend closely. "Hey, Nat... what do you think about my brother?" she asked carefully. She watched as Natalie's cheeks turned a light shade of pink before the older girl looked away and cleared her throat.

"He's a nice guy," Natalie replied evenly, not meeting her friend's eyes.

'Oh she's good,' Lucy thought, grinning inwardly. "He _is_, isn't he?" Lucy smiled knowingly.

"Right..." Natalie continued to refuse to look at her.

'On second though, she's _not_ very good at hiding it,' Lucy shook her head, giggling inwardly. She decided not to press her friend about this and instead, see if she would open up a bit more about herself. "Nat... could you... tell me a bit more about yourself? Only if you want of course," Lucy added quickly. She knew how iffy Natalie was about her past, much like Edmund was about his first experiences in Narnia, she recognized avoidance well.

Natalie smiled at her, feeling like she liked hearing the nickname her brother had called her from her new friend. "Well... my dad was an architect and my mom was a teacher... they had gone to get my older brother from college while I stayed at our neighbor's house when the accident happened," Natalie explained. She hadn't told this story to anyone before. "I don't know why I had refused so much to go with them, I mean, I was eager to see my brother but my fear of planes..." she shook her head. "If I had gone with them, I would have been... but at least I would be with them now..." she trailed off. She wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed. "Sorry," she apologized needlessly.

"You have nothing to apologize for, I'm sorry for asking," Lucy said sadly.

"It's alright, actually, I feel a bit better telling someone that story," Natalie smiled weakly. Truly, it felt like a burden had lifted, leaving her feeling lighter. "It wasn't long after that, that I lost a couple friends," she shook her head. "But I think I said enough about my past right now." Natalie took a shuddering breath and turned to look out the window. With what she had told Edmund earlier and what she revealed to Lucy now, she felt utterly emotionally spent. Maybe with time, she would feel a little better about talking about it.

"I'll be back later to check on you, okay?" Lucy said, wanting to give her friend some time to herself. "I'm going to go make sure Caspian isn't completely beating himself up still, and also make sure Edmund isn't doing the beating for him if he's not. He's been pretty _protective_ over you lately, you know?" Lucy said, trying to lighten the mood. When she only received a silent nod from her, so she turned and began heading out without another word.

"Hey Lucy?" The younger teen turned. "Thanks," Natalie turned from the window again and this time, though tears shone in her eyes, Lucy saw the largest and most genuinely happy smile from her yet.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Development! Gotta love it! Hopefully the story will start picking up and being more interesting soon! Please R&R!


	8. Chapter 7

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

* * *

It had been several days since she got injured and each day was better than the next. Even professor Marcus had visited her! He had sat down with her and read to her from his books, giving her some lessons and smiling when he managed to distract her from her pain. Natalie greatly appreciated his visits. Natalie had come to realize that she truly enjoy her time there, with her new friends.

She had found herself laughing more, smiling more, and even teasing them, which the three royals were thrilled about. Even so, a tiny niggle in the back of her mind, warned her not to get too close, not to risk losing yet more friends, but at the moment, she tried to ignore that and let her friends dote on her. As she laid there in bed that morning, she smiled to herself, reminiscing in the events of the past days since her injury. The first day of her sentence to being stuck in her bed, Caspian had shone himself after being scarce most of the day.

"_Hello!" Caspian brandished his flower bundle as his head poked through the doorway. "May I come in?" his expression was so guilty she had to give him a smile, though it wasn't much of one._

"_Of course, come in," Natalie said, watching him awkwardly squirm a little._

"_Did I mention to you already how sorry I was? I mean, I'm _really _sorry I pressured you, you didn't even want to and I-"_

"_Caspian! Please stop! You're forgiven," Natalie smiled. "Is that for me?" she asked, glancing at the flowers still in his hand._

"_Oh! Yes! Um, I hope you like flowers?" He walked over and gave her the flowers. _

"_Thank you, they're really nice," she smiled, taking in the sweet smelling scent of the petals. _

"_Ah, I believe your flowers need a vase! I'll be right back!"_

"_Ca- you don't have to-" But he was already gone. "Ah, oh well," Natalie shook her head and looked down at the beautiful blue flowers with white rims about the petals. She had never seen such a flower back "home"._

The second day, Edmund had sat by her bed-side, clearly missing the awkward expression on Natalie's face. It soon vanished as he began telling her some of his many adventures as King and what he had to go through when his older brother wasn't there to protect him.

"_Come in," Natalie said at the knock on her door._

_Edmund smiled as he walked over. "Hey, Natalie, how are you feeling?" he asked her._

"_Like I fell off a horse," Natalie shot back, relaxing when Edmund laughed at her joke. _

"_Looks like falling off a horse gave you a sense of humor!" He grinned._

"_Hey, I always _had _a sense of humor, I just wasn't using it..." Natalie retorted with a mock scowl, before his laughter forced a smile out of her once more. She discovered that she very much enjoyed the sound of his laughter._

"_Mind if I sit down?" Edmund gestured to the chair near her bed and snapping her out of her dangerous thoughts. Natalie bit her lip, unsure, but nodded in the end. Edmund sat next to her and began to open up to her, to her surprise, he told her some of his adventures, including a battle he was in when he was still very young."So there I was, my back against the wall and three dwarfs with axes!" Edmund drew his arms wide to illustrate how large the axes were. Natalie smiled a little easier as he launched into his dramatic story. At that rate, she would be laughing out loud in no time!_

The third day was a little easier for Natalie to feel relaxed around them. She listened with much amusement as Caspian told his Dawn Treader story.

"_With all the rocking back and forth in that storm, anyone would get sick! I'm not sure why Tavros was so embarrassed by it, though I could see his point! Being a seasoned sailor and a big brute like him, I guess I would be embarrassed too. It worked out though, because of course, the _great_ and _mighty_ High King Edmund had to go and trip-" Caspian's story was cut short._

"_For the last time, I _did not_ trip!" Edmund denied insistently, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. Having spent enough time with them, Natalie could now tell that the young King wasn't being exactly truthful. Lucy burst into giggles and soon the others began laughing as well. Even Natalie found herself laughing along with them._

By the fourth day, she felt almost relaxed around them. It had been a surprisingly nice experience, not the injury of course, but having to stay and not try to shy away from them as they made an effort to be with her. She felt a little uncomfortable at first, though nowhere near as much as she would have if she were back home, but eventually, she found herself enjoying their company and looked forward to the visits. Each morning Caspian would pop in with flowers, apologizing, even when Natalie would tell him not to worry about it. In the late morning, Lucy would stop by and talk with her about everything and nothing. Each afternoon Edmund would come by and sit with her, telling her about his adventures, she would find herself entranced in the way he would tell his stories. Each evening, the three would eat dinner there with her and joke around and generally be silly.

It was the fifth day of her imprisonment in her room, though it hardly felt like a prison with her friends visiting all the time. She was sure the beds in prison cells, especially in castle dungeons, were not quite as comfy as the one she was laying on, either! 'My friends,' Natalie thought that morning as she reflected the day's events. 'I never thought I would say that again,' she shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. She had been so adament before to keep people at a distance, but now these people seemed to have snuck past her defenses! A familiar knock brought her out of her musing. She knew it was Caspian and smiled. "Come on in, Caspian," she answered.

The tall man's head peeked passed the door. "How did you know it was me?" He asked with a goofy grin.

Natalie sat up in bed and shrugged. "Oh, I dunno, maybe because you've been coming by in the morning _every_ morning for the past five days?" Natalie smiled back.

"Hey, it's been four days, not five..." Caspian countered as he opened the door.

"I'm counting today, and don't you _dare_ apologize again," she warned playfully. Over the week that she had been there, she had loosened up and started acting like she might have if her life back in her world wasn't so drab. If she hadn't isolated herself since she was little. She found herself to be sarcastic and rather witty if she didn't say so herself. At least, she was when she wasn't feeling embarrassed or shy like she was most of the time! But it was getting better, honest!

Caspian laughed as he walked in and sat by her bed. "Today is the day the doctor will check on you! Are you prepared to get out of bed?" he asked her.

"Absolutely!" Natalie sighed. "I think I lost all the muscle in my legs, or what little I had..." she joked. She had been doing quite a bit of that lately.

"Nonsense, since the day we met I always thought you had shapely legs," Caspian teased, a sparkle of mirth in his eyes.

"Lech," Natalie smiled.

"Crow!" Caspian shot back, and then they were both laughing.

It had become their nicknames for each other when on the first day that she was injured, Caspian had accidentally walked in when the doctor was dressing her sprain. She hadn't had anything covering her legs and he stood there in shock before a pillow promptly hit his face and the embarrassed woman called him a lech. Natalie's nickname came when on the second day. In the evening, when they were all together, Edmund had been leaning on his seat too far and fell back. He had gotten up quickly, to recover his pride, but in doing so he knocked over Natalie's table with her flowers from Caspian, and then when he went to grab the vase, he tripped on his fallen chair and fell flat on his face. The whole thing took a few seconds really.

"_See! I told you he trips!" Caspian had said, waving his hand at the now glowering Just King._

It was the first time in many years that Natalie laughed so hard, crowing in amusement. Poor Edmund was so embarrassed that day, he wasn't seen until several hours later. Caspian likened her to a crow for her squawking laugh and it stuck. "So anyway, the doctor should be by any time now, do you want me to get the others – oh, too late," Caspian stepped aside as the doctor walked in.

"My good King, I hope you are not wearing out my patient?" The doctor asked fondly. The doctor carried a black leather bag with him with what Natalie assumed were medical things, salves, bandages, rudimentary tools... leeches... screws... saws... Natalie shuddered as he imagination escaped her.

"Not at all, doctor," Caspian interrupted her ridiculous thoughts. "I was simply paying her a visit and keeping her company," he smiled.

"Good," the doctor nodded, setting his bag on the night table near her bed. "I believe I saw King Edmund and Queen Lucy headed down here as well? Would you like to wait for them, my Lady?" The doctor turned to Natalie.

"That's alright, I want to know if I can get out of here as soon as possible," She told him.

"Fair enough. Let's have a look-see, shall we?" He bent down and drew her covers aside, revealing her leg. He raised an eyebrow when he found his patient wearing pants. He shook his head and pulled the pant leg up, testing Natalie's foot.

"So? What is the verdict?" Caspian asked in concern, leaning over to see what the older man was doing.

"Hmm, yes, well, everything looks to be in order," the doctor mumbled, experimentally squeezing the previously injured tendon. Natalie cringed slightly from pain, but tried not to see it. It did her no good though, the doctor felt her flinch at his touch and pursed his lips in thought. "It'll still be a bit sore for a while," he told her, eying her disappointed look and smiling. "_But,_ I see no reason to keep you in bed. I believe you should be ready to leave your room now, my Lady," he smiled toward Natalie who grinned in excitement.

"Great!" Natalie said happily.

"Try not to place too much stress on it though, understood? It will take a bit more time to fully heal but you can move about on it now. Now if I am not further needed, may I take my leave?" he asked, turning to Caspian. The King nodded to his doctor. "It was a pleasure, my Lady. I shall expect a visit from you in a week or so, alright? My Lady, my King," the doctor bowed to them, collected his things, and left.

"Here, let me help," Caspian went over to help her get out of bed.

"That's alright, I won't fall out of bed," Natalie brushed him aside and got up, feeling relief when she felt very minimal pain when she stretched her foot out. She got up and smoothed out her pants.

"I would have turned away, you know," Caspian shook his head. "You did not need to change your clothes," he smiled.

"With you, I could never be too sure," Natalie teased.

"She's right, Caspian, you're a menace!" Natalie and Caspian turned to see Edmund and Lucy walk in.

"Look who's talking, _young _King?" Caspian retorted with a challenging smile.

Lucy was about to ask Natalie if she was doing okay, but Edmund beat her to it. Lucy and Caspian shared a knowing smile. "How are you, Natalie? You're on your feet, does this mean you're okay now?" he asked curiously.

"Yes," Natalie nodded, smiling at him. Caspian and Lucy noticed the soft look she gave him and their grins grew wider. Edmund and Natalie didn't even notice them.

"I hope my stories didn't bore you so much that your injury healed so quickly just so I would stop!" Edmund joked, earning a loud, care-free laugh from Natalie. He had never heard her laugh so freely, not even before when he had that embarrassing incident happen to him, it was clear to all of them that she was trying to hold in her laughter, but this time she wasn't.

"They didn't _bore _me! In fact, I... enjoyed them, you're a good story-teller," Natalie felt herself blush but had to smile at his wide and happy grin.

"Then perhaps I'll tell you some more some time!" He promised. They continued to smile at each other, lost in their gazes and only snapped out of it when Lucy cleared her throat pointedly.

"We should do something! I know, how about we go for a walk? You should stretch your legs, Natalie," Lucy suggested before Edmund and Natalie could make up and excuse to seemingly losing themselves in each other. Oh there was definitely something between them, even if they themselves didn't realize it yet.

"That sounds great," Natalie nodded. "Just let me change real quick, okay?" After redressing, Natalie joined her friends in the hall and together the four made their way nowhere and anywhere, just walking and talking. Natalie found herself laughing at jokes and teasing them as if she had been friends with them for years and her past was nothing but a bad dream. The more time she spent with them, the fuller she felt her heart become. The more she spent time with Edmund... the more she felt like there was still something missing in her.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: My my my, I wonder what it is that Natalie could be missing? Hmm... Lol.


	9. Chapter 8

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

* * *

_Natalie dreamt of his arms, wrapped around her. She dreamt of his sweet smile and gentle caresses. Natalie felt them drift closer, closer still until they were complete, and all that was heard was sounds of harmony, of joined breaths and..._

Natalie shot up from bed that morning, drenched in sweat, her bed sheets tangled about her and her heart hammering against her chest. "What the f-" she shook her head, rubbing her temples. "That was... with _Ed_? No way! Why would I have such a dream?" she whispered to herself. Her whole body felt like it was fire, just as it did when Edmund touched her in her dream. She swallowed hard, trying to moisten her dry throat and focused on getting up. Part of her knew why she had that dream, but she would _not _listen to that part! She wouldn't! She hurriedly got ready for the day, keeping her mind occupied by going through her morning ritual. A knock on her door made her gasp and whirl around, not having expected it, even when she had visitor come by ever morning since she arrived there.

"Who-Who's there?" She asked, making a face at how stupid that very question was, I mean really, she knew who it was! 'I have got to get a hold of myself,' she sighed inwardly.

"Who do you think it is, silly?" Lucy's laugh could be heard from the other side of the door.

Natalie smoothed her dress and cleared her throat. "Come in!"

"Are you alright? It looks like you've seen a ghost," Edmund asked in amusement as he and his sister walked in. When she didn't answer, he frowned in concern and instinctively placed a comforting hand on her arm. He removed it when she suddenly jumped and flinched away. He felt hurt by her rejection, but tried not to show it.

"What? No. I'm fine, I just had a... _bad _dream," She told him. "Ready to go? I am! Let's go!" Natalie quickly swept by them, leading the way.

"What's gotten into her this morning?" Edmund muttered as he watched his friend quickly leave the room.

On their way to breakfast, Natalie scolded herself for being so jumpy. It was _just _a dream! She had fantasies before, this wasn't new! Her eyes drifted to him every now and then, noticing for the first time how attractive he was. He wasn't exactly her usual types, as she tended to like the buff blonde jock stereotypes more... he was the polar opposite, which was not to say he was not fit. If his tight tunics, stretched snugly across his wide shoulders, tight around his chest, and toned exposed arms were any indication, she figured he was in pretty good shape himself. Natalie's eyes drifted on their own accord and lingered on his strong-looking arms, wondering idly what they would feel like wrapping around her slim waist.

"Hey, Natalie..." Natalie successfully held in a gasp as she was torn from her wandering thoughts and blushed, looking away violently. This caught Edmund's attention and earned her a confused look from him. "I've been wanting to know a bit about the future, mind telling me what it's like?" Lucy asked, having missed the entire episode. Natalie paused, collecting herself once more and thought about the question. Would it be proper to tell them about their future? Wasn't there some rule that said you couldn't reveal stuff? Or was that just the sci-fi shows talking?

"I suppose I could tell you some stuff," she shrugged. Anything to keep her mind off... stuff. "The future is... well, I guess you could say there's a relative time of peace, at least, no 'world wars' or anything, just a never-ending fight against global terrorists..." Natalie trailed off at their shocked expressions. "Too much information?"

"No, sorry, it's just that the 'never-ending global terrorist' thing sounds positively frightful," Lucy answered.

"Where there's humans, there will always be corruption and suffering," Natalie said.

"Poetic," Edmund added.

"Poetic but true," Natalie sighed. "Anyway, you said you're from nineteen forty-eight, right?"

"That's right," Lucy answered.

"So the war has been over for a few years. Nothing new there. Besides that, not much has changed, politically anyway, though I could be wrong, I'm not really up to date with politics. I stopped watching TV or listening to the radio a while ago, too busy, you know? I could go on with a huge list of technological and cultural changes but that would take forever," Natalie smiled.

"That's alright, we don't want _everything _spoiled," Edmund laughed.

Natalie ate breakfast quickly, wanting to go somewhere quiet, such as the library maybe, to collect her thoughts. "Mind if I head over to the library?"

"Of course, but professor Marcus isn't in today," Caspian informed her.

"That's alright, I ...wanted to look at the books anyway," Natalie shrugged. It was half true. As per usual, as it had become a custom it seemed, Edmund offered to go with her, claiming he enjoyed the peace and quiet of the library as much as her company. Oh that didn't help her situation at all, did it? 'Crap...' Natalie thought with an inward sigh. "...Sure," she said, though she was unable to look him in the eye.

"If you don't want me to go with you..." Edmund trailed off and Natalie wished she hadn't looked up and seen his hurt expression.

"No, you can come, I'm just... tired," she lied. One of the reasons she wanted to go somewhere quiet, was so that she could try to get him off her mind. Edmund going with her _probably_ wouldn't help matters much, but she found it difficult to say no to him for some reason. Besides, she was tired of scaring people away from her and isolating herself. She didn't want to do that anymore, not here, not with them... not with _him_.

As they walked, Natalie and Edmund fell into an awkward silence, neither knowing what to say. After a little bit though, Edmund had enough of the weird tension between them that morning. He glanced over at Natalie, wondering what was wrong with her. "So... do you miss it? Your home? Your time?" he asked weakly.

Natalie thought for a moment. Since she arrived here, her only attachments to her old home were the memories of her dead friends and family. Something she would rather forget if she was being honest with herself. She had worked hard most of her life, worked two jobs just to keep herself afloat, and could never really have the free time to really enjoy life... so did she miss it? "Not at all," she smiled. "This is my home now and I'm happy to be here."

"I'm -_we're_ glad you're here too," Edmund said, quickly covering up and hoping she didn't catch his slip up. When she didn't comment on it, he relaxed. He caught her eye and couldn't stop himself from giving her a slow and easy smile. Natalie felt herself blush. She cleared her throat and glanced down at her feet. When they reached the library, they sat and talked for what felt like hours. Natalie even opened up to him and told him a bit more about her parents, how they were the goof-around kind that made you feel embarrassed and amused at the same time. She even told him about the plane crash, but was fortunately able to keep herself from crying this time, though that didn't stop him from having to put an arm around her to comfort her. Fortunately, Natalie was able to push the dream to the back of her mind and finally felt herself relax around him once more. She would _not _pay any attention to her racing heart at his mere touch or proximity, she _wouldn't_!

Elsewhere, Lucy had spent a lot of the rest of the morning practicing with her dagger and bow. Caspian had stopped by and tried to show her a thing or two about sword-fighting, polish her skills a bit more. "Should we go see how Edmund and Natalie are doing?" Lucy asked after a bit of practice.

Caspian holstered his sword. "Are you sure we should _disturb_ them?" he grinned mischievously.

"Oh stop, they're just friends," Lucy shook her head incredulously. "Honestly, Caspian. What's come over you? You were not this way the last time we saw you," she reminded him

"I know, forgive me, sometimes I let myself get carried away," he sighed.

"It's alright, I wasn't upset, I was just curious. Come on," Lucy led him out and they walked over to where they assumed their friends still were.

"Ed's probably telling her about another one of his _heroic _adventures," Caspian chuckled. He had great respect in his old friend for his valor and vigilance, and didn't doubt for a second his skill and prowess in battle, but sometimes he wondered if he wasn't inflating the truth a bit when he spoke to Natalie.

When Caspian and Lucy reached the library, they were surprised by the sight they were met with. Edmund and Natalie were both passed out on the couch. Natalie was half-way on top of him, laying her head against his chest, and his arm was around her. They looked so comfortable it almost looked as though they were married and had been doing that for years already. They looked so natural. "Aww!" Lucy uttered, trying to be quiet. 'I wouldn't be surprised if Natalie became my sister-in-law soon!' she gushed inwardly.

"Didn't I tell you?!" Caspian tried to hold in his laughter, his hand covering his mouth and his eyes crinkled in mirth.

"Shh! Let's come back when lunch is ready," Lucy said, shooing her older friend out the door.

Natalie felt _very_ nice. She had fallen asleep on something hard and yet warm and comfortable at the same time. She liked it. Natalie snuggled in closer and felt something tighten around her... wait, what was that? Blinking sleepily awake, she frowned in confusion at the sight of a dark blue fabric with gold trims and intricate patterns. Wait, the fabric was steadily rising and falling? Was that wind on her cheek or..? Natalie gasped when she realized what she had fallen asleep on and made to pull away, however, Edmund's hold on her was surprisingly strong for someone still asleep and she found herself falling back against his chest.

Edmund woke with a start and looked down at the strange but pleasant pressure he had felt against him as he slept. "Ah!" Edmund said in surprise and withdrew his arms. "I-I'm sorry!" he apologized. Natalie sat up quickly, straightening herself and looking away from him, hiding her blush as best she could.

"It's alright," she muttered. 'I need to get out of here...' she thought, but didn't budge.

"You okay?" Edmund asked in concern, hoping she wasn't angry with him.

"I'm fine," Natalie answered cooly. Edmund winced at her callous reply.

"Well um..." he glanced around, trying to find something to lighten the mood and his eyes landed on the large grandfather clock on the corner of the room. "Should we head down to lunch?" he asked carefully.

"Okay," Natalie stood and began heading out. Neither said anything as they made their way down the hall. When they entered the dining hall, they were greeted by a suspicious looking Lucy and Caspian, who smiled 'innocently'.

"What?" Edmund demanded, not liking their looks.

"So tell me, did the two of you enjoy your nap?" Caspian answered, his expression utterly serious but an obvious sparkle of mischief in his eyes. He got the desired reaction from them when they both flushed a deep crimson. Lucy and Caspian laughed as their friends both glared at them as they joined them at the table. To their surprise, it was Natalie that answered.

"It was fine, thanks," she said calmly, taking her glass and sipping on it quietly. Lunch went by quietly, with Lucy occasionally trying to break the tension at the table, but failing miserably. She had given up and slumped against her chair in defeat. She would have to ask Natalie or Edmund what was going on. Did they have a fight?

Natalie didn't _mean _to come off looking so cold, but it was the only way she was able to deal with the level of embarrassment and resentment toward her self for actually _wanting more _of Edmund - around her that is. While she had given up trying to keep them away, she was still certain if she allowed anyone that far into her heart, they would end up suffering. It was for his own good. And so, Natalie firmly decided she would not allow him to get that close again, she _couldn't_, she wasn't sure what would happen if he did but she felt it was safer not knowing.

After lunch, the four broke from the table to head off in different directions. Caspian once again had to entertain his council-members and listen to reports and politics, often feeling like he now knew why Peter had been so hard on him when they first met, it was a lot of responsibility to be King and Peter had been experienced. Lucy decided to head off and visit Trumpkin in the barracks where he helped train others for Caspian's army. Edmund had decided to go down to the practice ranger to keep his skills with a sword sharp, unfortunately, it was in the same direction as the stables, where Natalie had decided to go brush the horses...

"I'm sorry," Edmund said when he bumped into Natalie as they both tried to go through the same door.

"It's okay," Natalie shook her head, but this time, she was the one to collide with him when she seemingly tripped on her own feet. Edmund had seen her falling in the corner of his eye and quickly spun around to catch her. Edmund swung his arm around her shoulders, at the same time pulling her flush against him. 'Too close!' Natalie thought, feeling her heart race at his closeness. All she had to do was look up and just stand up on her tips toes and... and what? She couldn't! She... But he was so...! Natalie bit her lip. Edmund's eyes drifted to her lip as she bit it, and she could have sworn his eyes turned black then. They hadn't even realized they were drifting closer to each other until they heard a throat clear behind them. Caspian stood with his arms crossed and a sly grin on his face.

He had seen it all!

"Oh please don't stop on my account," he chuckled. Natalie's eyes widened and, ignoring her cheeks that felt like they would burst into flames, pushed away from Edmund without a word and walked away briskly, feeling mortified, trying to ignore the feeling of loss at leaving Edmund's embrace. So much for refusing to get closer to him! Edmund, on the otherhand, watched her go, feeling lost and helpless, wondering if he'd ever be able to get along with girls not related to him, and turned to glare angrily at his old friend. Edmund now knew it was him that tripped Natalie. "Augh!" Caspian winced in pain when Edmund slammed his fist into his arm.

"That was _not _funny!" Edmund growled and stormed off.

"I'm sorry!" Caspian called to his friend. He rubbed his arm, wondering when Edmund had become so strong. A simple punch made him feel like his arm was about to fall off! Edmund continued to walk off with his hands in his pocket and his back tightened in anger. "I'm _really _sorry!" Caspian yelled again. "I honestly didn't mean to upset either of you!" he said in genuine regret. He watched in relief as Edmund paused and waved his hand. "So... I'm forgiven?"

"Go to your meeting, Caspian," Edmund called back, though his voice no longer held any hostility in it. He continued on his way to the practice court and paused at the stables. He looked in and saw Natalie brushing Jack's fur, a peaceful look on her face. He grimaced, not knowing if it was a good idea to go in an apologize again or not. In the end, he decided to give her some space. Throughout the day, Edmund's mind wandered over to Natalie, hoping she was okay and wondering why she would react the way she did. Could she...? No, no way, not at all.

The less of Natalie Edmund saw, the more upset he became. He had become so used to seeing his friend throughout most of the day, that being ignored by her felt like torture. He decided he needed some answers, so he headed to the one other person who spent just as much time with Natalie as he. "Hello, Trumpkin," Edmund greeted his old friend with a smile as he reached the barracks. He and Lucy sat at a table, drinking tea. Seems like she hadn't left since that afternoon. That was the great thing about Lucy, she could inspire even the grumpiest people, such as Trumpkin, to enjoy spending time with her.

"King Edmund, it's good to see you again! I see you've grown as well," He commented, nodding respectfully to him.

"I suppose I have," Edmund smiled. "For some reason we were brought back here differently than before," he shrugged.

"Was there something you needed, Ed?" Lucy asked curiously.

"Um, could I speak to you a moment?" he asked, gesturing her to follow him.

"Excuse me," Lucy smiled at her old friend and followed her brother. The walked out of the barracks and into the courtyard of the castle. Lucy frowned in confusion at Edmund's worried expression as he looked over toward the stables. "What's wrong, Ed? Why the serious face?" she asked him in concern.

"Lu, something's wrong with Natalie..." He began with a sigh. Lucy frowned in confusion and took him aside to sit down at a bench out of earshot. "Ever since this morning, Natalie's been a bit... off? You've seen her, right?" Lucy nodded. "Well, this morning we kind of fell asleep, um, together... but you already knew that," Edmund gave her a tolerant look and Lucy smiled at him sheepishly. "She seemed kind of worse after that, have you noticed? Kind of reserved. Then after lunch, _Caspian tripped her_, and I caught her from falling... I don't know, maybe she just doesn't like being around me? She took off after that and I barely saw or heard from her all day! I think she's ignoring me. At dinner she refused to talk to me, what's up with that? You spend a lot of time with her, do you know what could be wrong with her?" Edmund asked, the pain of rejection evident in his eyes.

Lucy had a pretty good idea what was "wrong" with her friend, and in that matter, she knew what was "wrong" with her brother as well. 'Bless him, he can be such a dolt,' Lucy thought with a fond smile.

"What?" Edmund frowned, confused about the smile that appeared on her face.

"...I'm not sure what's wrong with her, but Ed... am I right to say that you have feelings for Natalie?" Lucy questioned. She wasn't about to give away her suspicions about how Natalie felt, but she _could _try to make a crack in her brother's dense head.

"She's a good friend," Edmund replied a little too defensively.

"Just a good friend? Ed, really?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. Edmund shuffled in his seat and looked away from his sister. He watched the leaves fall from a tree in the courtyard, landing in a small section of water that gently curved around it. "Ed?" Lucy gently poked her brother's arm.

"I barely know her, Lu," Edmund finally said.

"So?"

"So... I barely know her!"

"Edmund, you're just using that as an excuse," Lucy frowned.

"I am _not_," Edmund crossed his arms defiantly.

"Yes you _are_! Besides, it doesn't even matter if you barely know her or not, you know her enough to like her," Lucy argued.

"Ugh," Edmund frowned, refusing to argue further.

"Don't pout," Lucy teased.

"I am most certainly _not _pouting! Anyway, what does this have to do with what's wrong with Natalie?" Edmund gave his sister a questioning look.

"Not much, just thought I'd enlighten you a bit," Lucy smiled.

"I do _not _fancy her!" Edmund stubbornly insisted.

Oh who was he fooling?

"Ed, just go to her and talk to her, okay? I bet she'll tell you if you just confront her – but by Aslan don't be so blunt and scare her away!" Lucy insisted. Edmund smiled over at his sister and pulled her to him in a one-arm hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Since when did you get so wise?" Edmund teased softly.

"I've always been wise, you've just been too dumb to notice," Lucy giggled. As Lucy watched her brother go, she smiled, thinking about how much he really did change. He went from a total jerk, to a total sweetheart – when he wanted to be.

It took him a while, but Edmund finally found Natalie in the castle kitchen, talking to one of the cooks seemingly cheerfully. Her expression dropped though as soon as she noticed him. Edmund frowned in confusion and irritation. This had to stop. "Hey, Natalie. Can we talk?" he asked her as gently as he could.

"We _are _talking," Natalie retorted. It was then that Edmund noticed the hurt look in her eyes when she said frigid things like that. She was doing that on purpose!

"You know what I mean, please just come out here with me?" Edmund asked, nearly begging her. Natalie pursed her lips but to his relief, told the cook goodbye and walked passed him. Edmund followed, closing the kitchen door and stopping in front of Natalie. "So what's your problem with me?" Edmund asked, wincing when he remembered Lucy had warned him not to be blunt.

"What?" Natalie exclaimed with wide eyes.

"Ah- I mean, why have you been avoiding me all afternoon? It felt weird not sitting with you and telling you a story... it kinda made me worried..." Edmund admitted, shifting his eyes down to his scuffed up boots and kicking a grape that must have escaped the kitchen.

"I haven't-" Natalie stopped and frowned. "You were worried?" she questioned.

"Well, yeah! You've been acting weird since this morning, I was concerned, you know, about your health?" Edmund cringed inwardly at his lame excuse.

"Oh... well, I feel fine," Natalie frowned. She had expected him to say something else, but truth be told, she was half relieved he didn't reveal some hidden deep feelings for her. What would she possibly do if he did that! "Look, I know I've been a bit... scarce, and I'm sorry for worrying you, I really... it's just..." Natalie shook her head. Natalie could no longer deny that she was... _mildly... _attracted to him, not that she'd _ever _admit it to him. But how could she explain her disappearance and rude behavior, without telling him he was the sole reason for it because of a stupid dream?

"Please?" Edmund resorted to begging, sighing inwardly at what he had to do for this girl.

"Alright, look, I had this... nightmare, you were in it, and it kind of freaked me out, since then, whenever I look at you, I remember the nightmare. I know, it was really stupid of me, and it wasn't even that bad! Err, I mean,- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you away like that." Natalie was certain she was about to implode from all the nerves in her it took to tell him even a lie like that. And she was probably going to hell for it too.

"A dream? That's all? Wow... that must have been one _intense_ dream," Edmund nodded. Natalie recoiled in shock at how incredibly on the dot his comment was. She shuddered as the memory of the most intense part of the dream filtered through her vision without her permission. "So... are we okay?" he asked her in a hopeful tone.

Natalie forced the images out of her mind and scolded herself once more for being so weak. "Yes, we're 'okay', Ed," Natalie smiled weakly.

"Great! So... want to go to the library? I.. I thought of a brilliant story to tell you," Edmund grinned. Oh how he hoped she truly was okay with him now. Was she embarrassed by him? Could it have been that little accidental 'hug' after lunch? Replaying the memory in his head, he figured they _had _been pretty close, hadn't they. The memory of her soft breath on him, her sweet scent... blinking back to reality he blushed, looking away to hide it.

Natalie relaxed and rolled her eyes, smiling fondly. "Sure, let's go." She had finally overcome her dream, as long as she kept reminding herself that this was _Ed_ and he was like... like a brother to her? Well, as long as she kept trying to convince herself of that, she should be okay.

A familiar face greeted them in the hall. "Ah, good evening King Edmund, Lady Natalie," Marcus smiled at them as they walked toward the library. "Were you here for a lesson?" he asked.

"No, sir, we just wanted to spend some time in the library?" Natalie answered with a smile.

"Ah yes, very good, I shall see you at another time then, my child," he bowed to them, then went on his way.

They sat once again in the library, where their whole... neither of them knew what to call it, started. This time though, after Edmund had relayed another of his adventures with his siblings, they shared a companionable silence as they stared into the warm fire before them.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Well now, looks like things are starting to (finally) heat up between Edmund and Natalie, gotta love tension! Wow! Long chapter this time! Please let me know what you thought of this!


	10. Chapter 9

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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Edmund was surprised by how late in the morning it was when he woke up that morning. Judging by where the sun was in the sky, he had to say it was late morning, probably closer to noon. He was surprised Lucy hadn't gone to antagonize him out of bed as she usually did, calling him – though in a fond way – a lazy slob or a fungus spreading roots in his bed. He chuckled to himself at her imagination and went to the bath a servant had drawn for him. He stripped down and stepped into the now cool waters, wishing they were hot.

Edmund thought to himself as he laced his boots, after finishing with his bath and getting dressed. Had it really only been a week and a half since they found Natalie? It felt like longer. He already knew so much about her, had spent enough time to know quite a bit. He was certain though that there was a lot about herself she was keeping to herself, as was her right to do so. Still, he had come to find himself thinking about her more than he knew he should. It had been a few days since the incident in the library, and neither he nor Natalie mentioned it. In fact, Natalie had spent most of her time with Lucy or professor Marcus, though that could just be that she was trying to learn more about where she was. It couldn't be that she was still avoiding him, could it? Shaking those thoughts out of his head, he decided that he was just being paranoid. Besides, she had been pretty happy the past couple days, even smiled at him a few times and didn't seem bothered by him so much, so yeah, he was probably just over-thinking it.

His thoughts drifted to a memory of her smile. He remembered her eyes as she smiled at him the other night in the library, by the fire. The light of the hearth lit her beautiful green eyes like deep cut jades. Much like it did when she spoke of things she used to enjoy doing with her brother, or when she was happy about something, such as a sunny morning, or the fresh new flowers Caspian would bring her in the mornings when she was injured. They were simple things, but her eyes would shine all the same. He also noticed that sad or wary look in those beautiful eyes sometimes, when she thought no one was looking. He wondered what exactly brought her here and what was on her mind. She had told him her parents and brother were gone... but was that really the only reason she was here?

By the time he was finished bathing and getting dressed, Edmund realized he had been noticing her a lot more lately. He would notice how her wavy brown hair bounced when she was having a good day, how she seemed taller than most girls, about Susan's height, certainly taller than Lucy. He noticed how high her cheekbones were, giving her a sort of smiling expression even when she was not. His heart raced whenever she was close to him and he often stumbled over his words. She wasn't exactly "gorgeous" in the conventional sense, in fact, some might call her kind of plain... he felt different, something about her was different, unique, something called to him like no other girl ever did.

Edmund snapped out of his inappropriate thoughts, blushing to himself, and glanced over at the door where there was a knock. "Yes?" he called.

"King Edmund, sire, the Lord and Ladies are waiting for you in the dining hall. Queen Lucy instructed I tell you to... um..." The servant stampered.

"Go ahead and tell me, I won't be upset," Edmund told her in amusement. Lately, Lucy always had something colorful to say to him in the morning.

"Uh-well," the servant cleared her throat. "She said to tell you to s-stop treating the bed as if... as if 'Natalie' were there with you... and head to breakfast..." the servant muttered. Edmund felt his blush reach his neck and lost his voice for a moment. "S-Sir?" the servant questioned in a very unsure tone.

"It's okay. I'll-uh, be out in a minute..." Edmund responded. He shook his head and checked himself in the mirror one last time before opening his door. The poor servant seemed incredibly uncomfortable. Edmund smiled and thanked her, sending the poor girl off on her way. When he entered the dining hall, he found Lucy trying to smile innocently, Natalie blushing – so she had probably heard Lucy speak with the servant – and a confused looking Caspian with one of his advisers beside him trying to talk him into something.

"Later, Basil, I'll go over the plans later," Caspian was telling the older man. 'Basil' sighed wearily and left his King. "Welcome, Edmund, took your time this morning, did you?" Caspian asked playfully.

"I'm sure he just needed his beauty sleep," Natalie teased, but was unable to look at him.

"I agree! He needs a lot of that," Lucy giggled.

"Alright, I get it," Edmund sighed, but he smiled in amusement anyway as he sat down.

Luckily, the tension that morning had dulled out some and by lunch time they were back to joking around and being silly as always, though Natalie didn't miss the glances Edmund would give her now and then. 'Could he...' her thought trailed off. 'Nah! No way,' she shook her head.

"Something wrong, Nat?" Lucy questioned. The girls were at the practice courts with Edmund and Caspian, watching the men have a friendly duel.

"No- nothing's wrong," Natalie smiled at her friend and looked back over to the boys quickly. She wasn't stupid, she was sure Lucy suspected her, even thought maybe Caspian might too. She just hoped Edmund hadn't noticed her noticing _him_. No matter how much she denied being attracted to him. Focusing on the boys, she noticed that Caspian was a very good swordsman, though Lucy had told her that she was pretty sure Edmund was holding back.

"You know I had a crush on Caspian a few years ago," Lucy admitted spontaneously, giving her a look. Yep, she was pretty sure Lucy knew now.

"What? Really? _Caspian_?" Natalie asked in surprise. "No way, he's too... brotherly," she shook her head in disbelief.

"Maybe to _you!_" Lucy laughed. "I don't _really _feel the same way anymore," she smiled.

"Whatever you say..." Natalie trailed off teasingly.

Lucy smiled and bumped her with her shoulder. The girls went back to watching the dance-like duel. "It's really quite beautiful, isn't it?" Edmund jumped back from Caspian's slash and countered his attack with a parry three times before again dodging an attack, jumping over a low arch. Caspian bent back, missing Edmund's blades as he made a wide sweeping motion, then rolled back, landing on his knee and deflecting another attack.

"Yeah, it is..." Natalie nodded. "Ed fights with two swords a lot, isn't that more difficult?" she questioned.

"It is. It took him several years to be able to master two swords at the same time," she informed her. "I've seen Ed fight with swords for as long as I can remember, he's a very elegant fighter when he wants to be, and quite fierce at other times... but I think Caspian is much more graceful," Lucy smiled in an almost dreamy way, though the younger girl tried to hide it.

"Yeah, I can _totally_ tell you're over Caspian," Natalie rolled her eyes, grinning. She hadn't missed the dreamy look the younger girl gave their friend.

"Well who do you prefer?" Lucy countered with a raised brow.

"Um... they're both pretty awesome fighters..." Natalie squirmed.

"Oh come off it, I know you prefer one of them more than the other..." Lucy was the one to grin this time.

"Are we talking about them as sword-fighters, or them as _males_?" Natalie questioned, turning to her friend.

"Whatever makes you feel better," Lucy giggled. "Oh come on, you know about my little crush on Caspian!"

"I never said I had a crush on anyone!" Natalie insisted exasperatedly.

"I never said you did, either," Lucy's smile was sly, like a fox now.

'Oh, oh she's good...' Natalie sighed. "I-uh... I prefer..." she mumbled the last bit.

"What was that?" Lucy leaned in, still grinning.

"Edmund..." Natalie said a bit louder. She gasped and slapped her hand over Lucy's mouth when the younger girl suddenly squealed. "Shh!" Natalie shushed her, glancing at the boys. Edmund and Caspian had paused in their duel and looked over to the girls curiously. "Don't you dare say anything!" Natalie hissed at her friend. Lucy pulled Natalie's hand away and made a zipping motion on her lips.

"What are you girls talking about?" Edmund asked as he and Caspian walked over.

"We're just talking about how much we can smell you two from here," Lucy answered.

"Is that so?" Caspian raised a brow and shared a conspiratorial look with Edmund.

"We don't appreciate that..." Edmund grinned just as playfully, and then they began to walk toward the girls.

"What are you guys doing?" Natalie asked with a raised brow.

"Run, Nat!" Lucy squealed.

"Yes, Natalie... RUN!" And then, Caspian and Edmund were upon them, chasing them around the stables. Laughter could be heard ringing through the halls, most subjects smiling fondly at the youths. The men were drenched in sweat, and when Natalie was caught by Edmund, Natalie thought she would be repulsed. Sure, he smelled, but her eyes locked on a bead of sweat that rolled down his temple, down his jaw, and disappeared down the thin line of his shirt. His panting told her that his duel with Caspian had winded him.

"Got you n-" Edmund gasped as Natalie's sudden weight on him made him fall back, having missed the sly smile she gave him before throwing herself further in his embrace. The two fell to the ground, Edmund pulling Natalie close as they landed, laughing mirthfully. Their laughter died off a bit when they realized the compromising position they were in. Natalie was stradling him and his arms were wrapped around her waist. Natalie eyes bugged out and she tried not to notice how hot his hands on her were, or how his chest was rising and falling quickly, or how his eyes were trained on her's. "I..." Edmund trailed off. Natalie made to get up, but Edmund tightened his hold.

"Ed?" Natalie questioned, she bit her lip again.

"Natalie... I-" He looked pained, like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how.

"Caspian, that's gross!" Lucy's laughing voice startled them, reminding them that they were not alone. Edmund let go of Natalie, who scrambled to her feet, blushing. She helped Edmund up and they boy turned just in time to see as Caspian ensnared Lucy, Caspian laughing while Lucy slapped his arm playfully. Relief of not being caught in such a position made Edmund and Natalie share a smile with each other.

"Forgive me your majesties." The group turned to see the man known as Basil bow to them.

"What is it, Basil?" Caspian asked in a friendly tone.

"Forgive me for interrupting, my Lord, but you still need to sign the letters," Basil insisted.

"Yes, you're right. Forgive _me, _Basil. The ball is in a few days and the guests must know, of course!" Caspian smiled.

"Ball? As in dance?" Natalie questioned.

"Yes. It is tradition for Narnia to hold a ball to honor the truces among the kingdoms and keep the peace," Edmund explained.

"Yes, and this year's ball is in just two days. If you'd like, we insist you see it for yourself," Caspian added.

"Sure, I guess?" Natalie answered, feeling a bit torn. She was never comfortable around people, let alone a lot of people with loud music and activities... but she didn't want to disappoint her friends and she didn't want to be left out this time.

"Excellent, then I'll be sure to have my tailor measure you and Lucy for a dress for the ball!" Caspian beamed.

"Uh- you don't have to..." Natalie trailed off.

"Nonsense! It's nothing! I must go now, I'll see you all later," Caspian bowed and left with Basil.

"Well, I'm going to go take a much needed bath..." Lucy declared, smiling cheekily at them before taking off quickly, making Edmund and Natalie wonder if she had an ulterior motive. There was an awkward silence between Natalie and Edmund, once again, as soon as they were left alone.

"Well, I'm beat... I'm going to head to bed, after a bath _myself_..." Natalie gave Edmund a weak mock-tolerant look.

"Sorry about that," Edmund smiled back just as awkwardly. "I'll um, see you out?"

"Sure..." The two headed off, desperate to break the tension in the room, but by moving toward the door at the same time, they once again bumped into each other. This time, though, Edmund's hand instinctively shot out the first time to steady her, placing it on the small of her back. This, however, resulted in trapping Natalie between him and the archway of the door. Silence once again descended between them as they look up at each other in surprise. Gravity seemed to work against them as they again found themselves slowly moving closer to each other. Natalie was so close to him now, she could just barely see the signs of a stubble on Edmund's cheek. Her eyes traced his strong jaw, then flicked up to his eyes, shuddering at the intense look he was giving her.

It was not an altogether unpleasant shudder, though Natalie denied she _enjoyed _it too.

Edmund's eyes drifted to the delicate curves of her neck, over to her lips, watching her chew on them. It was something he noticed she would do when she was unsure about something, and something he found himself having trouble looking away from. And then back up to her eyes. His throat dry and heart hammering. Then, as quickly as it happened, Natalie had squeezed by him, walking away. Edmund once more watched Natalie walk away from him, feeling lost with each step. He felt relief flood within him when Natalie turned back to him and gave him a soft smile over her shoulder.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Things are starting to get a bit tense between them, isn't it? Please be sure to R&R!


	11. Chapter 10

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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Was that the thundering drums of war, or her own beating heart?

_Before Natalie, stood a terrifyingly beautiful and powerful lion, glaring fiercely at something. She turned and she saw legions of darkness covering a great valley. The lion let out a mighty roar at them, shaking the very ground, and the Legion held back, afraid of him. Then, out of the thickest part of the dark swarm, a lone figure stepped out, clouded in white. People usually associated white with purity... but this figure was not. Oh no, something wicked and truly evil lurked within the figure. It's evil gripped at her heart and she felt an herself become cold with fear. The figure pointed a finger and the lion looked back, seeing his people he was protecting. _

_The lion strode over to the figure, using his own claws to cut a slit over his chest, he told the evil to take him instead. The figure always wanted his death, so it agreed. The lion turned to look straight at Natalie and smiled, as if it knew her, as if it was doing this for her! When he looked at her, she knew that she should have been afraid, a great big lion looking straight in her eyes, but she was not. When he looked at her, all her fear disappeared and she was left with a gentle presence, with the feelings of peace and of hope. And so Natalie watched as the lion transformed into a lamb, sacrificing himself for his people... for her._

Natalie woke with a start. What was that about? What an odd dream... and yet, it felt so familiar, felt like it had some sort of important significance. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and climbed out of bed. She drew her curtains and gazed out the window, lost in thought. Just over the horizon, passed the monumental stone formations that surrounded the castle, Natalie could just make out some grasslands and forests. Could that place, in her dreams, be real? For that matter, who was that... lion? Was he a metaphor for someone, was he supposed to be _Jesus_ or something? Natalie snorted in amusement and went to get ready for the day. Maybe the other could tell her what her dream meant.

On her way to breakfast, Natalie remained silent as she listened to Edmund and Lucy have a friendly argument over something. She was listening but she wasn't exactly paying attention. "Something wrong, Natalie?" Edmund's voice startled said girl, who looked up at Edmund's curious eyes.

"Um, maybe I don't know, I'll tell all of you at breakfast," Natalie shrugged. When they got to the dining hall, they sat down and were served their meal.

"So I got a report last night that Cair Paravel reconstruction is proceeding rather nicely," Caspian mentioned offhandedly as he stirred sugar into his coffee.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Lucy grinned.

"If you don't mind, it would be nice to live there, instead of this place..." Caspian trailed off.

"Isn't this a family castle?" Edmund questioned.

"Yes, but it holds too many bad memories, you see. I also believe that, as a King of Narnia, being in the Narnia capital would make more sense, yes?" Caspian picked at his eggs, not looking up at them.

"Caspian... are you asking us for permission to live there?" Edmund raised an eyebrow.

"Would you mind?" Caspian looked up then.

"Of _course _you can live there!" Lucy told him. "It is a castle for Kings and Queens of Narnia! You are a Narnian King, it is your right to live there. Besides, we wouldn't have it any other way," she beamed at him.

"Thank you," Caspian grinned back.

"So... I had this dream..." Natalie mentioned, watching the steam rise from her own cup of coffee.

"That's right! You were going to tell us what was up with that look in your face this morning," Edmund smiled teasingly.

"I didn't have a look," Natalie's lips quirked up and she glanced up at him through her lashes. "Anyway, so in this dream, there was this... this big lion, much bigger than I had ever seen in zoos or on tv-" the look of confusion in some of their eyes had her trail off. Honestly, had none of them ever had a tv? Well, she supposed Caspian wouldn't have ever heard of anything like moving pictures, but sure in the forties there were televisions! Lucy had told her that her parents couldn't afford one and just had a radio, but surely they saw them before? "Um, anyway, so this lion is in this battle against, I don't know, demons or something, - darkness," she frowned, trying to remember her dream. "The lion was protecting his people, and then this white figure went up to him and demanded blood, so the lion sacrificed himself in place of his people," Natalie looked up and blinked in surprise at their utterly shocked expressions. "What?" she questioned.

"The lion, was he a golden lion with facial expressions similar to us?" Lucy asked.

"Yeah! Actually, now that I think about it, he smiled at me in my dream. He smiled and I..." Natalie frowned thoughtfully.

"What is it?" Edmund leaned closer in anticipation.

"I _know _him. I don't know how, but I think I've seen him before, in our world, in my time that is... before I came here. I didn't know who he was but even then, I felt this... familiarity with him. He made me feel-"

"Safe?" Edmund supplied.

"Loved?" Lucy smiled.

"Like you had a purpose?" Caspian raised a brow.

"Yeah! All of that!" Natalie's frown deepened. It was exactly all of that, that she felt. How could they know? "Is he... is he real?"

"Remember when we told you about Aslan? That you would meet him? I thing your dream was a vision or something. _That _was Aslan!" Lucy grinned widely.

"Right, how could I forget? So that's Aslan, huh? Does he only appear in dreams or..." Natalie trailed off.

"No, he's real, he's the true King of Narnia, he's the one that brought you here," Lucy smiled.

"You're telling me, that a _giant talking_ _lion _brought me here?" Natalie asked incredulously. She was the one to raise an eyebrow this time.

"Yep!" Edmund shrugged. "He mentioned once that he has other forms... maybe he has a different form in our world?" he suggested. Natalie nodded, saying no more. All of this was just so... fantastical. Well, there was one good thing about obsessing over this strange dream, it made Natalie forget the _other _dream she had recently, which was a blessing in on itself!

After breakfast, Caspian had let the group know that even though he had important duties to see to, rolling his eyes at Edmund's smug look, a look that said 'ha ha, I may be King but I don't have to do those things anymore!', he told them that the village was holding a fall festival and that they should go to it, figuring that they would enjoy it and it would be better than sitting around a castle. "We could wait for you?" Lucy suggested.

"No, that's quite alright. I've been to it dozens of times, but none of you ever have," Caspian declined.

"Sure, but we had similar festivities in Cair Paravel, you know," Edmund countered.

"This is true, but every festival is different, yes? Just go, have some fun, and bring me an apple pastry," Caspian smiled, then stood from his seat, and followed his adviser down the hall. The three decided they might as well. They left the castle, deciding to walk to the village that was very close to the main castle anyway, in fact, it was basically _stuck _to it. It took them a few minutes to get to the village anyway, though none of them minded. The weather was nice and the air was crisp and cool. Natalie smiled, feeling that for the first time in a _long _time, she didn't feel so claustrophobic with so many people milling about. There were many games and delicious smells as the various stalls sold their wears.

Edmund was all but dragged around by Lucy, having him look at this, or help her in this game, or smile to gawking peasants. Natalie followed behind, an amused smile on her face as she watched the over-excited teenager. As they passed a shop, Natalie's eyes landed on a collection of swords on display. Most of them looked like plain, ordinary swords that any soldier would have, but one caught her attention. She wondered if it was very expensive, since it was one of the fanciest swords in the whole bunch. Natalie did not see Edmund watching her gaze longingly at the blade. He was surprised that she would be interested in such things, and oddly found that endearing to him. He loved swords, and it seemed like she liked them too... unless she was giving those eyes to the shop keeper? Edmund looked up at the man selling the swords and snorted. The man was well over his middle-aged, had a big bushy mustache, salt and pepper thinning hair, and he seemed to be missing some teeth when he smiled at him.

Yeah, Natalie was definitely _not_ looking at the shop keeper.

Edmund looked back over at the sword Natalie had been looking and and nodded to himself, appreciating her taste. Handling his coin purse, he figured he had plenty of money... maybe he would surprise her? A devious smile spread over his face, but he quickly tried to hide it as Lucy turned to him. "Hey isn't it close to lunch?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm getting kinda hungry," Natalie agreed, glancing around the place for a food stall. "That one there looks like it has some tasty things," she suggested.

"And let's not of course forget King Caspian's apple pastries," Edmund rolled his eyes. Honestly, the man had a whole castle staff doing his every bidding, and he sent them to get him a pastry?

The three settled in one of the benches near the stall with their food. Edmund got a beef sandwich on what looked like rye bread, Lucy got a piece of chicken and some corn in a tin plate, and Natalie got what she was hoping was something similar to sheppard's pie. The three of them got a glass of cool cider. Natalie wondered how they kept the drinks cool, how did they make ice without an ice-maker? Did they have to haul ice over from the mountain-tops or something? After their meal, the three decided to head back, so after buying a pastry for Caspian, they made their way back to the castle. The girls got a little suspicious when Edmund disappeared for a moment, but when they asked, he just said he had to use the 'loo', so the girls didn't press him further. "So I was wondering if you'd like to learn a bit of archery?" Lucy offered.

"Sure, I guess," Natalie smiled.

Once they reached the castle, Edmund asked Lucy to head on over to the archery range first, he had something to speak to Natalie about. Lucy smiled cheekily and told them to have fun, laughing at their blushing faces. Edmund rolled his eyes and went to his pack. Natalie eyed the large bundle she had not seen before and watched him unwrap it. Her eyes widened in astonishment when he pulled out the sword she had been looking at. "I thought you might like this?" Edmund grinned.

"Wow! You didn't have to buy me that!" Natalie gasped, gazing down at the beautiful piece of craftsmanship in Edmund's hands. It was a beautiful blade. She knew a bit about swords and the like, part of her interest in history and with things medieval. It was very similar to an Italian bastard-sword. One handed with a wood-finish paneled grip, and a silver pommel with a red gem of some sort, though she hoped Edmund didn't spend his money on a ruby encrusted sword! The hilt of the sword was straight, with little roaring lions on either side. It looked elegant, deadly, and expensive. Natalie hesitated before taking the offered blade.

"Consider it a gift from a friend," Edmund smiled.

"Thank you so much," Natalie's eyes softened when she looked up at him. Their eyes held a moment before she cleared her throat and looked down at her sword. It was very heavy, much heavier than she expected it again, but then, she had never held one before, not a real one anyway. The lion decorations on the hilt of the sword reminded Natalie of her dream. She felt it fit, somehow, she felt that she was drawn to this sword in particular for some reason.

"Do you know how to use it?" Edmund asked, raising an eyebrow. He expected she didn't, even if she was from a modern time, she did not look built to handle a blade.

"No, no I don't," Natalie shook her head. "I wish I did though," she added wistfully.

"Well then maybe I'll teach you some day," Edmund promised. "May I?" Natalie handed him the blade and watched him swing it around with precision and ease. The way he handled the sword mesmerized Natalie. He really was a graceful swordsman, she couldn't ask for a better instructor and looked forward to getting lessons from him. She would _not _think of it as a way to get closer to him!

"Should we-uh, go to the practice range now?" Natalie asked, trying to get her mind off inappropriate things. Edmund placed her sword in it's scabbard and nodded. As they walked to the practice range, Edmund had a servant take her sword to her bedchambers. She smiled at him, still surprised and happy that he would buy her such an expensive gift, but also sad that she couldn't really repay him. Maybe she would find a way, one day. When they reached the practice range, Lucy had already set up the targets and strung a practice bow for Natalie.

"Come on then, over here," Lucy gestured to Natalie. The older girl walked over, glancing over at the targets and then at the bow warily. Would she really be able to do it? "I promise it's not as difficult as you think it is, once you get a hand of it," Lucy told her, as if reading her thoughts.

"That's what you said about riding a horse, and I almost broke my ankle that day..." Natalie responded dryly. "I bet this time I'll find a more colorful way to maim myself..."

Lucy placed her hands on her waist and shook her head. "Bollocks!"

"Lucy!" Edmund scolded with a laugh, never having expected a swear to leave her innocent mouth. Perhaps his little sister was not quite as innocent as they all thought she was! Just the thought made Edmund snort, how absurd!

"Oh come here, silly! It won't hurt you! ...Well, not really," Lucy shrugged with a smiled, motioning for her to get over there already.

"Not really?" Natalie pressed.

"Nat!" Lucy sighed in exasperation.

"Better do as she says, Natalie. You don't want to upset Lucy!" Edmund chuckled.

"_Alright_ alright..." Natalie sighed in defeat and stepped beside her younger friend, mock-glaring at Edmund's amused expression. Lucy then proceeded to show Natalie the bow, and told her how to hold it and how to breathe, though she couldn't exactly control her breathing too well at first. The first arrow she lined up, slipped off her fingers. The second arrow she managed to let loose, but it fell two feet in front of her. The _third _time she tried to notch an arrow, the line from the bow ended up snapping slightly on her finger, making her jump and drop the bow and making Edmund guffaw heartily.

"Hey! Shut up!" Natalie yelled, grabbing a handful of hay and throwing it at him.

"Let me show you," Lucy said patiently, shooting daggers at her _still _laughing brother. She lined up her shot, took a deep breath, held it in, and let the arrow loose. The loud twang let the people in the room know the arrow hit it's mark, in the dead center. "Believe me, when I first tried a bow, I was just like you, but Susan showed me how to shoot it. It took me several months to be able to hit a target... it'll just take time, go ahead, ignore my git of a brother-"

"Hey!" Edmund yelled half-offended, a smile still playing on his lips.

"-And line the shot," Lucy finished, ignoring her brother. Natalie nodded, took the bow, and tried again. "No no, Nat, your legs need to be further apart and don't tighten your elbow like that," Lucy instructed.

"I'm trying..." Natalie sighed. Why had she agreed to this again? She would rather be practicing with her new sword, frankly. This whole thing had taken a _least _three hours! It was already getting dark!

"Here, let me help," Edmund said, walking over to her. Natalie stiffened slightly when his hand touched her elbow. He moved it the way he wanted it, then stepped closer to her. Natalie struggled to keep concentration, but he was flush against her now and making it incredibly difficult. Edmund kicked her feet apart, placing his foot between them to keep them from shifting, essentially trapping her against him! Natalie bit her lip as she felt his hand slide onto her stomach. Natalie felt all her blood rush to her cheeks and her toes curled when his other hand brushed the hair from her cheeks, making her feel his hot breath on her neck. Oh, God, he was too close...

"Now take a deep breath," Edmund instructed in a whisper. "That's good," he smiled, his lips centimeters from her skin. Goosebumps spread across her as Natalie attempted to do as he instructed, breathing in his spicy scent in the process. She felt dizziness fog her mind. "Draw your bow," he told her, and she did, though now mostly going on autopilot. "Now hold your breath," he said, pressing his long fingers against her stomach lightly. Natalie held in a whimper but did as she was told. "Focus on your target, aim a little higher, that's it... now shoot," he whispered.

The arrow flew.

The arrow hit the target.

Natalie's eyes were drawn to the target and her jaw dropped. She _actually _hit the target! It wasn't exactly in the center, but it was close! "Amazing!" She cheered, and, momentarily forgetting exactly who was still pressed against her, turned in Edmund's arms and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him without a second thought.

"Aww!" Lucy gushed. Natalie's eyes shot open and she pushed away from him, a blush running down passed her neck. "That's so cute!" Lucy giggled. "Great job, Natalie! Maybe you should have Ed teach you how to shoot the bow!" she _chuckled_, Lucy actually chuckled. Natalie shook her head in disbelief. She looked over at Edmund through her eyelashes, and saw he too was looking away, a tinge of pink on his cheeks. "Maybe I should leave you two _alone _to practice?" Lucy continued to tease.

"Shut up, Lucy!" Both Natalie and Edmund said at the same time. The three laughed at the absurdity of it all and Lucy walked over to them.

"No but seriously, Edmund must be like a lucky charm to you!" Lucy laughed.

"Lucy, what's gotten into you? You've been spending entirely too much time around me," Edmund chuckled softly.

"Lucy, I may not be very good at it, but by God I have a bow and I will shoot you with it if you don't cut it out," Natalie warned her, trying to keep the smile that threatened to come out from showing and failing miserably.

"Uh oh! I think she means business, Lu!" Edmund laughed.

"Somehow I believe you," Lucy agreed in amusement. Soon the three of them were laughing again. After cleaning up, they left the practice range, teasing each other as the made their way back inside for dinner. None of them noticed the enormous lion standing behind them, watching them with a soft smile on his face.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Woo! Aslan finally made an official appearance! Sort of... Please let me know what you thought of the chapter!

Shout-Outs:

**OlleiPattson**: It shall be done :D

**Daisy54154**: Glad you like it!


	12. Chapter 11

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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As Natalie lay in bed that morning, just a few days later, her mind kept retracing the moment she had with Edmund at the archery range. Her cheeks heated up with just the mere memory. She still wasn't sure if he had _deliberately _done what he did, or he was just trying to properly instruct her how to use the bow. In any case, it had been, by far, the most intimate embrace she had ever had with a boy. And then he played it off like nothing happened. She had tried to keep to herself mostly since then, behaved like nothing happened as well, even as every now and then Natalie would catch an odd look from him, an odd smile. She had to wonder what was on his mind. "That boy is an enigma..." Natalie sighed, rolling out of bed. She too, would push it out of her mind then, it was for the best, she couldn't afford to dwell on it. Who knew, maybe she would be able to avoid him today?

After preparing for the day, a knock on the door let her know her friends were waiting for her. As she walked passed her mirror, she paused, noticing for the first time that her hair now fell just passed her shoulders. She went to the door and Edmund stood there, in his usual regal attire, though this time a deep red shirt with gold patterns, dark brown trousers, black boots, and a gold satchel about his waist, sporting his usual 'good morning' smile, his eyes sparkling. Really, the man couldn't look more handsome even if he tried. ...Well, maybe if- Natalie shook the _very_ inappropriate thoughts out of her mind, successfully keeping a blush from her face, and narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously. Something about his smile... Natalie glanced around, but couldn't find Lucy. "Where's Lucy?"

"She has a cold," Edmund shrugged, the little smile still playing on his lips.

"A cold?" Natalie asked in surprise. "How bad is she?" she asked in concern.

"She has to stay in bed for a while, but it's not _too _bad," Edmund explained. "Come on, she'll _disown_ me if I don't take you to see her," he smirked.

"Hey!" Lucy greeted weakly, though that didn't stop a wide smile from spilling over her face at the sight of her friend and her brother.

"Lu, how are you feeling?" Natalie asked as she went to sit down by Lucy's bed.

"Oh I'm-" A cough interrupted the youngest of the group. "-Fine! Just a silly cold," she smiled.

"Well... silly cold or no, you're going to need plenty of water and some soup," Natalie smiled back. Just as she turned to suggest doing so to Edmund, said King was already on it.

Edmund turned to a servant that had been cleaning Lucy's room. "See to it that she gets all the water and hot soup she needs to get better," he told her. The servant bowed and scurried out the room to do his bidding.

Natalie and Lucy sat there with nearly identical looks on their faces.

"What?" Edmund demanded in amusement.

"You seem really comfortable ordering people around, I wouldn't be able to do that," Natalie said with a smile.

"Edmund was ordering people around _before _he became King," Lucy teased weakly.

"Come off it. I did not," Edmund denied, crossing his arms.

"Well, you did to _me_, and you certainly thought yourself royalty, even before you became one," Lucy grinned.

"Don't listen to her, Natalie, it's the sickness talking," Edmund smirked.

"Hey!" Lucy laughed softly. "You're supposed to be... _nice _to me when I'm sick!"

"Children, behave," Natalie smiled. "Are you going to be okay? Do you want us to stay with you?"

"No no," Lucy coughed. "I'm fine, really! Goodness, it's just a silly cold! I'll be fine... you two go on and _have fun_," the youngest of the three grinned weakly. "Tell Caspian not to fret about me, okay?"

Edmund and Natalie made their way out, an awkward silence falling upon them. As they walked, Natalie was acutely aware of his bare arm, very close to her's. They were walking a bit too closely in her opinion, but she couldn't bring herself to step away from him. She looked up and caught him gazing at her. His eyes averted quickly. The tension between them was getting too high, so she decided maybe talking would help. "So um," she cleared her throat awkwardly. "You and Lucy are pretty close?" Natalie cringed slightly, wishing she could have come up with something better.

Edmund glanced at her again and smiled. "I suppose we are," he answered.

A few moments of silence descended on them. Natalie sighed and shook her head in disbelief. "Were you always this close?" she asked, deciding to go ahead with this line of topic after all.

"Nope," Edmund simply replied. The mischief in his eyes when she caught his gaze again, told her he was doing this on purpose.

"You know getting anything out of you is like pulling teeth, right?" Natalie sighed irritably.

"Is it, now?" Edmund could hardly hold in a soft laugh at Natalie's annoyed expression.

"Ed!" She said in exasperation.

"Alright, alright!" Edmund chuckled. "We weren't always close, if you must know," he began. "In fact, I was a jerk to her, to all of my siblings. I mean, I know I was just a child, but I knew I hurt Lucy's feelings with my mean jokes and all," he sighed regretfully. "Well anyway, during our first stay in Narnia, I learned some pretty valuable lessons about family loyalty and kindness. I went through some... pretty tough experiences..." Edmund frowned, his jaw tightening as memories flashed before his eyes. He jumped slightly when he felt a soft hand on his arm. A shiver ran up his arm and he turned to see Natalie giving him a reassuring, gentle smile. His eyes softened and he felt better _immediately_. Strange. "So anyway, in the end, I learned my lessons and vowed to right my wrongs, starting with treating Lucy how she _deserved _to be treated, like a loving, cute little sister... but don't tell her I told you that." Edmund finished with a fond smile.

"That's sweet, Ed," Natalie told him in a quiet voice. "She's lucky to have such a great brother. And I'm lucky to know you..." Edmund held her gaze for a moment. He was about to reply, when she spoke again. "We've-uh, we're here..." Natalie looked away from him with a blush. When they entered, they did not see Caspian there this time. They walked in and only saw the usual servants dashing from one end of the dining hall, to the castle kitchen nearby, and back out.

Edmund went up to one of the servants. "Miriam, was it?" he addressed the girl that was preparing their table.

The servant jumped slightly, startled, and turned. She bowed to Edmund, averting her eyes from him. "Yes, my Lord, how may I help you?"

Edmund squirmed slightly at how... _formal _these servants were. "King Caspian?" he questioned.

"Oh! Forgive me, my Lord! I was supposed to relate to you that his majesty would not be able to join his guests until late this afternoon!" The servant blushed in embarrassment, still not looking at him.

Edmund shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him in surprise. "It's alright, thank you" Edmund smiled to reassure the woman. The servants he was used to, back in Cair Paravel, were not this formal, none of the siblings wanted to rule over their people with such cold and distant ways. The servant bowed to him again, and went back to her chores. "So I guess it's just you and me today?" Edmund said softly, glancing up at a still quiet Natalie.

"I guess so," Natalie agreed with a shrug.

Breakfast was a bit quiet as expected, though they both tried to break the silence with small talk, neither being very good at it. When they finished, Edmund decided they needed to do something, something that would ease them back into the friendship they had started developing before... before whatever happened between them happened.

"Natalie," Edmund began. "Would you like to go riding with me?" he asked curiously.

"Riding?" Natalie asked in confusion, as she looked up at him from playing with the centerpiece on the large table idly.

"Horses," Edmund smiled.

"Oh! Um, right... I don't know..." Natalie bit her lip, unsure.

"You won't fall off this time, I promise! ...I won't let you," Edmund told her gently. "Come on then, come with me," he stood and gestured for her to follow. So much for avoiding him, Natalie thought with a sigh, but stood up and followed him anyway. She knew she was being childish, knew she couldn't hide from him forever, and knew she had to confront these weird feelings she got around the tall boy.

Once they got to the stables, Edmund went up to his horse and stroked the animal soothingly, then almost literally launched himself off his feet and easily mounted the horse. "How about this," he began, patting the side of his horse to calm it down from the sudden movement. "How about I teach you to ride?" he suggested. "Come on up here with me," he offered his hand to her.

Natalie looked at the horse, looked at Edmund's hand, and then at his gentle smile. She sighed inwardly and took the offered hand, relying on Edmund's strength to help her up. Natalie landed just in front of him and bit her lip when he adjusted them so she was all but pressed up against him, _again_. Funny how _lessons_ with this guy ended up being more intimacy than she had ever known. Rolling her eyes to hide her embarrassment she decided she might as well get comfortable. "So what's the first lesson, mistro?" Natalie asked.

"Relax..." Was the whisper by Natalie's ear. Said woman jumped and turned slightly to glare at him from the corner of her eye. Edmund laughed and bid the horse to start trotting forward. "The first lesson really_ is _to relax though! You have to let the animal know you've got control and you know what you're doing, otherwise, he'll take advantage and play around with you," Edmund said, wrapping his arms around her to reach the reigns easier. Natalie shook the blush away and concentrated in what Edmund was telling her. "So, once you have control, you have to ease yourself on your horse' back, don't try to sit still because that's almost impossible," he instructed.

As they rode off, Natalie felt herself relax and even started to enjoy the ride. It was wonderful, felt almost like they were flying. They rode passed the town. Natalie felt herself smile at the people who waved at them as they galloped by them. Once they exited the town, the cool air that rushed about them, made Natalie shiver, luckily, she had something warm wrapped around her to keep her from freezing in the cold autumn air. Edmund steered the horse on, toward the grassy edge of where the castle was situated. "There's a place I want to show you!" he told her over the roar of the wind.

"Okay!" Natalie answered. They rode a bit more, toward a clearing by some trees, and Natalie could just see the lake ahead of them. It was in an odd place, massive rocks on one side, an a forest on the other. It took them less than an hour to reach the lake, but it felt like a lot shorter. They slowed down and stopped by a sandy brook that led into the lake. Edmund pushed back off the horse, and slid off. He went over to her side and offered his hand again. Natalie smiled at him and took it. She gasped when the sudden height and speed in which Edmund tugged on her hand, forced her to fall off. This time, though, Edmund was there to catch her, and she landed against him, her hands on either of his shoulders and a deep blush on her cheeks.

"You okay?" he asked softly. Their noses brushed each other and they stilled. Edmund's hands on her waist seemed to burn her, though not at all in an unpleasant way. Natalie could only nod in response. She refused, _refused _to admit she very much enjoyed this, refused to admit it felt _right, _oh so incredibly right to be in his arms. She would _not _give in to that temptation, let herself relax around him, lose herself in the possibility that she _could _be with him. She just wouldn't do that to him, she cared about him too much. And for crying out loud, she didn't even know how _he _felt! Though there was no point in finding out. If she found out that he... but no, she couldn't think of that!

"I'm fine," she said, pushing away from him and walking toward the lake.

Edmund dropped his arms to his sides, a hurt look in his eyes that he tried to hide. "...Um, well, this is the lake I told you about the other day. It's a nice spot I noticed my first time in this part of Narnia. Actually, it's closer to Telmar than Narnia, right on the border between the two countries," he explained quietly, his hands in his pockets as he walked over to her. Natalie shut her eyes regretfully, she could hear the hurt in his voice and it pained her more than she would like to admit. She had to be strong though.

"It's nice," Natalie mentioned simply, opening her eyes to gaze at the clear, gentle stream flowing into the lake. It reminded her of the pond near her house, long ago, where she would swim with her family. There were no mosquitoes around this water source though, at least this had that. Still, as beautiful as this lake was, she almost yearned for the flying pests, yearned to have her family there with her, her brother teasing her about the pigtails she wore when she was little, with ribbons in her hair or even her parents scolding her for getting her pretty yellow summer dress muddy.

"Hey, are you alright?" Natalie blinked back to reality. There was wetness in her cheeks, she rubbed them away. "Bad memories?" Edmund asked, walking closer to her. Now Natalie was angry at herself. There she was, hurting him, and he was more concerned about _her _feelings than his own! Natalie smiled sadly at him, trying to reassure him, and shook her head.

"Good ones," she told him. They remained silent, letting the horse drink some water, before Edmund suggested they head back. The silence between them was almost painful and the ride back home was slower, both of them lost in thier own thoughts. "I... I can't get that dream out of my head," Natalie suddenly said, after she couldn't think of anything else, hating the tension between them. It _was _something on her mind though, and maybe he had some input that might help.

"Which? The one with Aslan?" Edmund questioned. His breath on her ear made her jump and shiver, but she was sure it was not the cold air that made her do so...

"Y-Yeah. There has to be some significance to it, right? Maybe Aslan was trying to tell me something?" Natalie mentioned quickly.

"Aslan wouldn't have brought you here if there wasn't an important reason," Edmund told her, seemingly unbothered by their closeness, or the tension between them. "Perhaps something in the coming future you're supposed to help with?"

"Help? Me? I'm not very skilled at much, I don't see how much help I could be," She shook her head.

"That's not true! You learn quickly and I bet with some practice, you could be a pretty handy fighter," Edmund smiled.

"That's sweet of you to say, but I doubt it," Natalie sighed.

"You should have more faith in yourself... I do..." Edmund admitted. Natalie remained silent. He had a point, she had to stop doubting herself, had to start believing she was worth something in the world, Aslan certainly thought she was, and if Aslan turned out to be who she thought he was... maybe God hadn't given up on her like she thought it did. Reaching in her shirt, Natalie pulled out her cross necklace, rubbing it idly as her eyes focused on the passing landscape. Another thought occurred to her. Who was that white figure in her dream? Why did she feel so frightened by it? She hoped that part of her dream had no significance to it, though she knew deep down that all of her dream was important.

Getting off the horse, back at the stables, this time, was a fair bit easier than before. Edmund reached over and took both her hands, helping her hop off the horse in a much more fluid, easier movement. She smiled at him, thanking him, and walked by him back toward the dining hall, hoping Caspian was there this time. Natalie again wondered what changed between she and Edmund and when it happened. Looking over at his tall form, she wondered if it was _she _that changed, not him. Clearing her throat once more, she smiled at him when he looked over curiously. "So, do you miss it? Being King?"

"I _am _King" Edmund grinned teasingly.

"Oh stop, you know what I mean," Natalie smiled back. She relaxed slightly, this was what she missed, speaking easily with him. Why couldn't they return to that?

"I do miss it, sometimes," Edmund admitted. "I miss the rush of making important decisions, creating battle strategies – not that wars and the like are good or anything! - but most of all, I think I just miss being needed," he smiled sadly.

"But... you _are _needed, ..._I _need you, your-um friendship..." Natalie said quietly, kicking herself once more. 'What was I thinking! I shouldn't have said that!' She thought angrily. Edmund blinked in surprise and looked over to her, but she walked a little quicker, ahead of him, to reach the door of the dining hall. They did not see Caspian there, instead, they found servants rushing about, putting decorations up and just generally preparing the castle for the ball.

"Want to take a walk in the gardens?" Edmund suggested. Natalie said nothing, but simply nodded and followed him out. The gardens in the castle were not as grand or splendid as one might assume, Miraz and his brother, the former King, had never much had an eye for flowers and trees, but Caspian the IX made sure to install one enough for his wife. "You know, I've never found it easy to talk to girls before," Edmund suddenly admitted.

"Oh?" Natalie raised a brow.

"I know, it's amazing isn't it?" He grinned playfully as she rolled her eyes at him. "Anyway, yeah, even when I was King of Narnia with my siblings, I never had an easy time speaking to the women that would visit Cair Paravel. The most I could really do is smile and greet them, and awkwardly try to listen to them as they went on _and on_ about one thing or another during parties," he shook his head. "It was _much worse _back in our world! Before Narnia, I was just a little kid who had absolutely no interest in girls, but when we got back... I was different, but I still found it extremely awkward," he smiled. "But then you came along..."

"Me?" Natalie smiled shyly

"Yes, _you, _believe it or not," he chuckled. "For some reason, I find it easier to talk to you..." he told her, smiling softly. "You're special," this time he grinned charmingly.

Natalie felt herself blush again and look away from him. She cleared her throat. "I've always had a hard time being around people in general," Natalie admitted. "Well, maybe not at first," she corrected. "I loved parties and getting to know new people when I was little, before the accident... but since then, I felt like I had to stay away from them, to protect them, to protect myself," she admitted with a sighed. "Since then it has been hard getting close to people, until I met you guys," she added. "And... maybe you're just special too," she smiled bashfully.

This time, as they walked with each other, there was more of a comfortable silence instead of an altogether awkward one. By the time lunch rolled around, they met with Caspian in the dining hall once more, who now noticed the deeper bond between his two friends. Caspian had noticed something between Edmund and Natalie, like Lucy, from almost the start... but now, it was pretty obvious.

"Lucy is _sick?_" Caspian's eyes widened.

"Whoops, did we forget to have someone tell you?" Edmund smiled sheepishly.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: This chapter went _way off _the way I wanted to write it before. It was supposed to be lighter, at least, it was in my outline... but I think I like how it ended up being. The tension between Edmund and Natalie is supposed to be increasing with each chapter, I hope I'm doing that right! If not, I might have to go back and tweak the story... it's supposed to have importance later on. Now that I think about it, this is my favorite chapter so far! Please read & review, okay?


	13. Chapter 12

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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Edmund and Natalie spent the rest of the afternoon, and part of the evening, trying to make it up to Caspian and Lucy, who both felt a bit left out after neither of them went out of their way to visit them. They stopped paying so much attention to Caspian though, as said King was being suspiciously childish, acting offended on purpose, being that none of them could really interrupt Caspian in his duties that day. In the end, they had noticed the mischievous glint in his eyes anyways, so that didn't help him much. Lucy, however, scolded them for not at least checking up on her, but forgave them when they genuinely looked shameful and stricken by that. Fortunately, by the next day, Lucy had gotten over her cold, just on time for the ball.

As the women prepared for the events of the day, including Edmund,- Caspian chuckled out loud at his immature joke,- the "youngest" King of Narnia, in terms of servitude of course, spent the rest morning after breakfast sitting at his throne, lost in thought. Ever since they returned from their day out, Caspian kept a close eye on his two friends. It was plain to see that Edmund cared for Natalie far more than a good friend should, and it was also pretty easy to see that Natalie could sense this from Edmund but wasn't exactly open to it, though there were also times where she seemed to openly accept and even welcome Edmund's affections.

Caspian wasn't a blind or foolish man. He had been attracted to Natalie the moment he saw her, probably at around the same time Edmund had noticed her. That darn dress! But over the weeks, he had come to see the young girl as more of a sister than a love interest. She was still beautiful in his eyes, of course, but one could look at their sibling and also judge them to be good looking, could they not? In any case, he had felt some resentment toward Edmund at first, stealing all of Natalie's attention away from him, but now he couldn't be happier for them. He only wished Natalie would open herself a bit more to him, tear down some of her obvious defenses she put up to keep him away.

It saddened him that Natalie was not quite as open with him as she was with the Pevensies, but perhaps she just needed time to become accustomed to more people. Yes, he had noticed her reluctance with people as well. A King had to be observant, after all! Something he had learned the hard way. Throughout the rest of the day, there was no time for a formal lunch, the meals being taken to the rooms of the girls while the men played chess. By the time the evening rolled on in, everything was prepared and the two Kings stood at the ballroom, awaiting the entrance of their guests. Slowly but surely, Ambassadors, Dukes, and nobles were announced, and Caspian and Edmund greeted them. It was a spectacle to see to be sure, two rightful Kings of Narnia standing side by side, greeting the nobility. It amused them both to see the nobles struggling to figure out who to suck up to first.

And then, just as the music began to play, and the Lords and Ladies took to the dance floor, Basil announced the arrival of Queen Lucy and Lady Valentine. 'Ah yes, her last name was Valentine,' Caspian mused and looked over to the entrance, as soon as he did, he nudged Edmund, but said _bored looking _King didn't stir.

Caspian, still gawking, then smacked Edmund's arm harder. "What?" Edmund demanded with a frown. Caspian pointed, so Edmund then looked over to what had caught his older friend's attention. His own eyes widened. "Oh..." he muttered. Lucy walked into the room, with Natalie in tow, wearing a very familiar dress, but this time, unlike the first day they met her, Natalie worked the dress like she knew how to used it. She looked spectacular. Her dress was a pale blue with subtle flares on the ends, silver crisscrossing with the fabric into patterns of leaves. Her neck was exposed and her necklace shown brightly, the silver glinting with the lights. Her hair was up in tresses, a few strands falling on either side, and she wore only enough make-up to make her piercing jade green eyes pop out beautifully. The girls might have been gone most of the day, preparing for the parties, but now that the men saw the results, they had no room to complain.

"I guess she decided not to wear the new dress..." Caspian mumbled incoherently.

"Guess so..." Edmund agreed, working his own jaw to close.

Natalie could feel eyes on her and she tried very hard not to run away, tried very hard to ignore her hammering heart trapped within her ribcage. "Relax, Nat! You look wonderful!" Lucy tried to calm her. The younger girl too was a sight to see, a deep red dress with gold patterns intricately sown into her Queenly dress. Her hair was down though, let loose in beautiful waves that outlined her innocent face, her Queen's crown upon her head.

"That's the problem..." Natalie muttered, her eyes shifting around the large room warily.

"Try to have some fun, okay? I'm going to go look for those two barmy blokes we call friends, be right back!" Lucy said, then ran off before Natalie could say anything. Natalie frowned in confusion at the words the younger girl just used, but she got the general meaning and smiled in amusement.

"Good evening, my Lady," Natalie turned to see a regal looking older man smiling kindly at her. He had cropped white hair and a very neat and trimmed white beard. "I have not seen you before, might I have your name?"

"Good evening, sir," Natalie tried to curtsey, thanking her lucky stars that Lucy had shown her how to do so before the ball. "My name is Natalie Valentine. I am a good friend of King Caspian, King Edmund and Queen Lucy," she greeted him. She blinked in surprise when the man took her hand and kissed her knuckles gently.

"Their majesties are very fortunate to have such a beauty as you, as their friend! Would you honor this humble man with a dance?" He asked. Natalie felt trapped all of a sudden and wished for a miracle. How was she to say no to a noble? If they found out she was just a normal girl, not royalty like her friends... what would happen to her?

Elsewhere, Edmund's eyes were like a hawks, throwing daggers at the old Duke of Telmar. Caspian watched his younger friend with much amusement, but he couldn't just stand there and watch his two friends dance around each other like that... or, actually, that was a good idea! "So if you're so jealous, why not ask her to dance yourself?" Caspian mentioned offhandedly.

"What? I am _not _jealous!" Edmund denied, still glaring at the noble who had the gall to try to get Natalie to go anywhere with him.

"Just GO already! Before I have to push you!" Caspian sighed.

"Whatever," Edmund scoffed, but decided to head on out there after all.

"Um-" Natalie cleared her throat and attempted to sound as regal as she could. "Thank you, good sir, but no, I'm afraid I am a bit weary this evening?" she told him, trying to keep her chin up and back straight. Luckily, her ploy seemed to work. She breathed a sigh of relief when the noble bowed at her, wished her a pleasant evening, and then left her in peace. She turned to try to find her friends and her eyes landed on the Kings. Her breath caught.

While Caspian looked every bit of the King he was, royal blue garb with gold trimming and a crown on his head, Edmund looked downright _dashing_. He wore mostly while, save for the bit of gold embedded in his royal robes, such as the gold lion upon her chest. He had white high boots, gold trimmed white pants, a long white cape with gold on the edges that flowed about him, his brother's sword at his side and wore the gold "High King" crown atop his head. While he too looked every bit as much of a King as Caspian did, he also looked every bit the fairy tale prince charming. Though the messy black hair and dark eyes gave him a more roguish look that made Natalie bite her lip as he approached. His eyes caught something and she glanced down to notice her exposed silver cross necklace.

"Good evening, your majesty," Natalie grinned and curtseyed to Edmund, who looked impressed.

"My sister taught you?" He grinned back and bowed. "Good evening, my Lady," he greeted back. "That cross, I noticed it on you the first day I saw you," Edmund mentioned as he stood closer to her. "It, along with your watch, were the first things that let me know that you weren't from around here," he told her.

"I forgot about my watch," Natalie smiled, then laid a hand over her cross and a wistful expression fell into her eyes.

"What is it?" he asked in concern.

"This necklace, it was a gift to me from my mother," she admitted. "She gave it to me in the airport, before she boarded the plane... she told me she'd be back for it," Natalie blinked tears away and then quickly brushed them away. She looked around to make sure no one had seen her little emotional episode.

"It... looks lovely on you," Edmund smiled awkwardly. "_You _look lovely... very lovely," he added softly.

"Thank you," Natalie smiled back shyly, relaxing slightly. "You do too- uh, _handsome _I mean," she corrected with a deep blush. 'Or hot, sexy, illegally attractive- okay, _stop it_, Natalie!' she scolded herself. What in the world got into her just then?

"Why thank you," Edmund grinned in an adorably lopsided way. "So, Lady Natalie," he put one foot behind him and, with his arm across his stomach, bowed to her in a prince charming sort of way, his white cape swaying gently with the movement, adding to the image. Natalie grinned back at him as he put his hand out to her. "May I have this dance?" he asked, grinning toothily at her, ever the prince charming.

"Uh, um, I don't think that's such a good idea..." Natalie blushed, fidgeting with her dress shyly.

"Well I think it's a _great _idea," Edmund countered, offering her his arm charmingly.

"No, you don't understand," she shook her head. "I... _don't know how to dance_..." she whispered.

"Oh, I see, that's alright! I'll teach you," Edmund held his hand out to her again. "Come on, it'll be fine," he smiled. Natalie sighed, why could she never say no to him? She placed her hand in his and let him pull her close. "Now place your- ah, see? You know how to do it already," Edmund chuckled. Natalie rolled her eyes, she might have not known how to dance, but she knew how to get into a dancing _position_, that was different. "Now just follow my lead," he smiled and, holding her hand in his in tight reassurance, moved them across the floor.

"Sorry..." Natalie apologized when Edmund cringed for the third time. "I told you I didn't know how to dance..."

"Stop looking at your feet, look at me, look into my eyes," Edmund instructed, pulling her closer. Natalie blused at the sudden proximity but tried to do as she was told, looking up into his eyes. Moments later, she saw pain in said eyes. "Okay, here, how about this, stand on my feet," Edmund suggested.

"Stand _on _your feet? It isn't enough that I step on them already, you want them to stay on you?" Natalie blinked.

"Come on, here," Natalie started slightly as Edmund pulled Natalie flush against him, lifting her up and placing her on his feet. "See? Now you won't step on my feet!" he grinned boyishly. And then, they began to twirl around the dance floor, each acutely aware of the other as they held onto each other through the dance. A breath tickling skin, heart beats felt through shirts due to the closeness, intense gazes from attractive dance partners... it was enough to make anyone dizzy!

Lucy was watching her brother and friend waltz and nudged Caspian to look over at them. The two smiled knowingly. "They look so good together," Caspian mentioned wistfully.

"They do," Lucy agreed, grinning brightly. "Jealous?" she teased.

"Maybe a bit," Caspian smiled. "But then, I get to dance with _you_, so it makes up for it!" Caspian grinned.

"Caspian!" Lucy gasped and laughed as Caspian pulled Lucy into a dance. Nearby, Basil rolled his eyes but smiled affectionately at his young master.

As they danced, Natalie felt more alive than she had in years. Edmund's strong but gentle hold on her both made her feel save and dangerous at the same time. It made her feel like she could do anything as long as he was with her, be anything. She took in his spicy scent, more than likely accented with a sweet smelling something for the occasion, and shuddered as his hand slipped up slightly, his thumb getting caught on a crease in her dress and tugging on it accidentally. She bit her lip, shivering as his warm breath tickled her exposed collar.

The dance slowed and Edmund smiled down at his lovely dance partner. "What do you think, Nat? Better?" he whispered. His voice sounded huskier than usual. Natalie shivered again. She could not meet his gaze, but simply nodded, biting her lip. This was the first time he called her by her nickname. It sounded nice coming from him, _too _nice. "Just relax..." his breath was on her cheek now, his dark hair falling over his eyes in a dashing way. She could feel the eyes of the others upon them and tried to hide from their stares. "Don't look at them, focus on me," he instructed, his hand on her back sliding up slightly again, pulling her to him that much closer. Natalie felt light-headed once more, but nodded again, her face burning. "Nat, I... I have to get something off my chest," Edmund whispered, his breath tickling her ear.

"What is it?" Natalie whispered back in a daze, her heart beginning to beat faster and faster. What was he about to tell her? She bit her lip again and Edmund's eyes flickered to her mouth. She saw his eyes darken momentarily and had to keep herself from hyperventilating.

"I-uh... I feel different when I'm near you," he began, looking back up into her eyes. "I always have, which is a reason why I always looked forward to those visits when you were injured," he smiled. "You make me feel... I don't know, calm, peaceful," he explained. "Like, whenever I have a nightmare in the morning, I see you and the nightmare disappears." He took the hand that had held hers and drew his fingers down her cheek tenderly. "You've become important to me," he admitted softly.

A sudden image of a dear old friend, a boy she liked, dying in a horrible fire intruded in Natalie's mind then, reminding her again why she never wanted to let anyone too deeply into her heart. How could she let it get this far? She had let her guard drop around him, let her feel wanted by him, let herself feel beautiful in his eyes, it was too much, they were getting too close! With a gasp, she pulled away from him. "Nat?" hurt very evident in Edmund's eyes.

"Thank you, _King Edmund_," Natalie said quickly, stepping back from him suddenly. She needed to leave, needed to get away from him.

"Natalie? Is something wrong?" Edmund frowned. She had _never _called him 'King' Edmund before... something was very wrong. Was it something he did?

"No, _my Lord_, n-nothing is wrong. Good evening," She awkwardly curtseyed as best she could, then turned and left for the balcony quickly, needing air.

"Please?" He called to her. Natalie paused for a moment, her fist tightening on her chest, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks, but then kept walking away. Edmund watched her go, his eyes wide in shock and confusion. Just what the bloody hell happened? One moment they were dancing, and the next, she couldn't wait to get out of his arms! This wasn't the first time she avoided him when he tried to get closer to her. Was she repulsed by him so much? The thought made Edmund cringe in pain, his heart feeling torn and painfully overwhelming at the same time.

"Ed, what happened?" Lucy asked as she walked over. Lucy had seen the interaction and was surprised by Natalie's behavior nearly as much as Edmund.

"I... I have no idea," he shook his head. "We were dancing, I... I pulled her closer, told her she was important to me... then she ran off!" He shrugged, looking crestfallen. "She... she told me before that she had trouble being with people, but, I thought..." he trailed off.

"Oh, Ed..." Lucy shook her head this time. Her brother didn't understand Natalie's distress over letting people get too close to her. The look of utter despair in their eyes as they parted had been too much for Lucy to stand and watch from afar. "Tell me everything," she ordered. And so, Edmund told his little sister how their week started, how we would try to get close, maybe tease her a bit to try to break her away from her defenses, but she would then coil herself up tighter in them and avoid him, leading up to this moment, where he told her how she made him feel, and she once again left him feeling confused and hurt.

"What should I do, Lucy?" he looked over to his little sister, begging the younger of the two to help _him _with relationship problems, if one could call what he had, or lacked, with Natalie that.

"Give her time, Ed, she's still a little uneasy around people... and she thinks she's going to lose you if you get too close to her," Lucy admitted quietly.

"Is that is? She thinks I'll leave her or die or something?" Edmund's eyes widened.

"Well, it _is _a possibility," Lucy argued.

"No, it's not!" Edmund frowned. "It's been half a month already, we've been friends for more than two weeks! She's so stubborn in her defenses that she doesn't see that I won't leave her!" He said, though mostly to himself. Lucy smiled sadly as she watched her brother go off toward the balcony, toward Natalie. She wondered if it was a good idea, but then, Natalie needed to let those insecurities go, and she couldn't think of anyone better than her brother, who also had insecurities he learned to deal with, ease her out of them.

Edmund had not found Natalie on the balcony, so he kept searching. He at last found her a bit later, sitting on a bench in the gardens. She would not meet his gaze, even as he was sure she knew he was there. "May I?" he asked, gesturing to the spot near her.

"You're a King, do as you please," Natalie said simply. Edmund frowned at her answer, he didn't want her to think of him as a King! They were friends! He sighed wearily, but sat by her anyway without mentioning anything. It was a cool, quiet night, even the crickets seemed to notice the unease in the air though, no crickets seemed to chirp near them.

"Before coming here, I was... not in a good place," Natalie suddenly spoke. Edmund turned to her, giving her his undivided attention. "My parents and my brother had died two years before, but that day was the anniversary of their deaths. I spent most of my life working two jobs and trying to study in college, but in the end, I had to drop out of college to pay for my apartment – my flat," she went on. "That night, I lost one of my jobs, the one I tolerated the most out of the two... I had felt trapped and lost even _before _that moment, but then... I honestly seriously thought about killing myself. How could I lose everything and still be worth anything in the world, you know? I was friendless, relationshipless, nearly jobless – because mind you, the other one wasn't fairing too well either, - and soon I would be homeless too..." No tears fell from her eyes this time, though it was just a matter of time, they always came no matter how much she hated looking weak in front of people.

"And then I wound up here, met all of you, and felt for the first time that my life wasn't to worthless," she smiled sadly.

"Then why won't you let us get closer to you?" Edmund asked gently, trying to understand.

"When I was younger, before my world came crashing down on me, I have a lot of friends. But bit by bit, just as we started becoming greater friends, they left. I ended up with just one friend in the end. He was the kindest, sweetest, most selfless boy I had ever known. He was just a bit older than me but always treated me like his equal," Natalie smiled fondly. "I remember, whenever we would get into trouble, he would insist it was his fault! I remember accidentally letting our neighbor's bird out of the cage, and my friend told the neighbor that he saw a sad look in the bird's eyes, and wanted to free it. One day, this man came up to us while our parents weren't looking, asked us how to find our neighborhood. He smelled like smoke and dressed in a heavy coat, even if it was late in the summer time and a clear day. The stranger man had scared me, but my friend took my hand and led me away. He was always there for me..."

Edmund remained silent, somehow knowing how this story would end.

"That night, there was a terrible fire in the neighborhood, late in the night. No one knew who started it, but the suspected person was a stranger that had come into town... I was woken up by the sirens, but thought, it was probably no one nearby, nothing to worry about, right?" She angrily wiped a tear from her eye. "But it _was _something to worry about. My friend and his family had burned in their own home while they slept... that stranger was to blame" she finished. "If I had... if I had just told my parents about that man... he wouldn't have, he could have still been," Natalie shook her head.

"I'm sorry," Edmund said softly, placing a hand over her's

'He's always been there for me since I got here too, hasn't he?' Natalie thought. 'I can't... I can't do this... not to him,' Natalie thought forlornly, even as her own heart screamed at her to stop pushing people away. 'He'll just get hurt in the end, they always do,' tears streamed down her cheeks as she looked up into the beautifully starry sky, ignoring the sounds of the party behind her. She hated, _hated _hurting her friend like that, but they had gotten far too close lately and she couldn't let him get closer, she just couldn't.

"Natalie, you know you won't lose me like you did your friend, right? Why won't you let me help you? Tell me how to fix whatever it is I did wrong? Something I said or..?" Edmund pleaded.

Natalie felt herself laugh bitterly. He still thought he did something wrong! '_Please _don't make this any harder...' Natalie thought in anguish. "No, I'm sorry, Edmund, I can't do this right now!" Natalie pulled from him, taking her hand back and, after taking her shoes off to escape better, ran away from him, from the party, from herself.

Edmund glared at the stone bench they had been sitting on and slammed his fist against it, not caring that a shooting pain went up his arm. Looking up, he glared at the stars, feeling more hurt and confused than he ever had.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Buh! Poor Edmund! He's hurt and confused! :( I'm very sorry, but it had to be done!

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson**: Haha, you're going to have to wait a bit for that! I'm a believer in developing characters and "relationships" slowly... If I keep writing the chapters they way I am, you should expect a new chapter each day or every other day, though it also depends on the events of my day! Don't fret though, this is definitely one story I plan to finish!


	14. Chapter 13

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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It was a dreadfully quiet morning, two days later, after the delegates had thanked their hosts and went back home. Neither Caspian nor Lucy could do anything to break the tension between Edmund and Natalie. While Natalie looked beside herself, more depressed than they had ever seen her, Edmund looked down right furious and refused to speak to anyone. "He doesn't take rejection well..." Lucy had told Caspian the previous night, at the second evening's ball. Natalie had been nowhere to be seen and Edmund had glowered so much he kept all the noble ladies from getting twenty feet in front of him.

After breakfast that morning, Edmund stormed out without a word, heading toward the practice range to most likely find someone foolish enough to spar with him, and Natalie headed into the direction of the library. "This is bad..." Caspian mentioned, frowning sadly, one boot-covered foot propped up on a vacant chair.

"Agreed," Lucy sighed. She twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, her chin resting on her palm with her elbow on the table in an improper manner, gazing at the centerpiece on the table without actually seeing it. Oh how she hated when people fought, any kind of fight, be it a brawl, a war, words, it didn't matter, it always made her feel horrible. Seeing her friends fight like this was just heartbreaking to her, and she wished Aslan would come and roar in their faces! Wake them up! Get them to admit...

"They have feelings for each other, don't they?" Caspian muttered grimly, as if reading Lucy's thoughts.

"I think so," Lucy nodded. "I have never seen Edmund more interested in anyone before. You know how private he is, he keeps his thoughts and feelings to himself, I mean, I know you haven't known us for exactly that long a time, but even during the revolution, you noticed how reclusive he was, right?"

"I believe so, my mind was more tuned to the coming revolution though," Caspian smiled.

"Granted, but anyway, ever since we stumbled upon Natalie, he's been positively absorbed in her, not letting her out of his sights for too long," Lucy went on. "But Natalie... she's a bit harder to read, or she was anyway, she's starting to let go of some of her insecurities, have you noticed?"

"That I did," Caspian nodded. It might have only been over two weeks, but since the first day, he had been noticing a steady change in Natalie. She was no longer so shy and soft spoken, so afraid of being around people. She was now much more playful, care-free, and a generally fun person, though obviously still a bit reserved at times. She still _had _some insecurities, but they were slowly being chipped away. For her to suddenly have a reversal like this, something must have happened to alert her defenses, or perhaps, they were finally starting to break and she was just too scared to confront her true feelings.

"I'm _sure_ Natalie feels the same way, but both of them are much too stubborn to do anything about it," Lucy sighed.

"You're really wise, you know that? Not even eighteen yet and you say the most intelligent and wisest things I've ever heard," Caspian chuckled.

"Th-Thanks..." Lucy blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear bashfully. "Um, anway, I think I'm going to go find Natalie and try to talk some sense into her," she declared, standing from her seat. "Could you check on my brother?"

"Done," Caspian nodded. He felt that maybe he could also smack some sense into the younger man as well.

Lucy predictably found Natalie in the library, her face buried in a thick book. The young Queen walked over to her and sat on an adjacent chair at the table. "Hey, Lu..." Natalie muttered softly.

"You really like books, don't you?" Lucy mentioned offhandedly. The title of the book Natalie held was 'The Dragon and the Enchanted Treasure'. Lucy snorted softly, the title reminded her of a certain someone, some years ago.

Natalie shut her book slowly and placed it down. She placed her head in her hands and propped herself on the table, sighing tiredly. "I do like books," she told her quietly. "But I mostly just come here for the peace and quiet, when I'm not having a lesson, that is," added.

"Or to avoid people?" Lucy smiled knowingly.

"...Yeah... sometimes that too," Natalie admitted just barely audibly.

"You know... Edmund's been looking pretty angry and depressed for the past couple days... would I be wrong in assuming yours and my brother's foul moods are related?" Lucy questioned.

"No... you wouldn't be wrong..." Natalie mumbled. "It's all my fault Lucy," he admitted sadly. Lucy heard a drip sound and looked over to see tears escaping Natalie's hands, that covered her face. "He was only trying to be kind to me, trying to get me to loosen up a bit, and I just pushed him away," she said quietly, though she sounded more numb than mournful about her rash actions. "I panicked, I got confused, I don't know, it's just... he reminds me so much of someone, I didn't want to lose him like I did _him_..." she admitted.

"Who, Natalie? Who is it that's keeping you away from my brother?" Lucy begged, taking the older girl's hands and giving her a meaningful look. "Please tell me, let me help you?" she asked.

And so, Natalie admitted her fear of losing the people she cared about all over again, as it always seemed to happen to her, told her that it was the main reason she was so torn, part of her wanting to be social, the other part fearing it. She told Lucy the same story she had told Edmund the night before, how she had a friend who died in a fire, how she blamed herself for his death. She told her how she felt like it could happen again, she lost more friends after that, not in deaths, but lost them all the same. She feared that her friends here, Edmund, would either leave or worse.

"Edmund's not like that, Nat! None of us are!" Lucy insisted. "You care a lot about him, don't you?" she asked gently, receiving only a nod from her friend. "But you don't know how you feel, right?" Another nod. "Well, in that case, why not just give him a chance? He genuinely seems to want to be with you, as a friend or... otherwise," Lucy suggested. Lucy then told her a story of when she and her siblings ruled over Narnia, a long time ago. She told her that during those times, to keep the peace, much like what they had done that week, parties and feasts were held. During such parties, many women would show interest in her brothers. At first, no one seemed to notice the dark haired brooding child in the corner, but as he grew, more and more girls began to take notice in him. However, not once did he ever show interest in them back, though he was always kind to them. He always had women chasing him in the end, but he never did any of the chasing back... until now.

"Edmund's not chasing me!" Natalie scrunched up her nose in disbelief.

"He is," Lucy said firmly. "I've never seen Ed behave the way he behaves with you around anyone else, he's never found it easy actually, no matter how nice he tried to act, he was always a private boy," Lucy told her. Natalie frowned thoughtfully, remembering her talk with Edmund, when he had told her how easy he found talking to her. "Would you just talk to him? Stop running from him, he only wants to be there for you! And don't be so afraid of uncertainty, okay?" Lucy asked carefully. Natalie frowned again, now remember the 'voice' in her dreams that told her something very similar to her when she had first arrived there. As much as she hated to admit it, Lucy was right about everything. She was hiding behind her own uncertainty. How was she to know that this place wasn't any different? How was she to know that she couldn't truly find tranquility over her unruly past?

"Anything else, mother?" Natalie teased weakly after thinking it through. "Look, I'll... I'll _try_," she sighed. "But I'm not making any promises got it?" she warned her.

"It's a start!" Lucy grinned. Natalie gasped in surprise when the younger girl almost literally threw herself across the table to hug her amiably. Despite herself, Natalie felt herself smile back at the cheerfulness of the young Queen.

"You're pretty smart," Natalie said with a weak smile.

"Caspian just mentioned I was wise for my age," Lucy grinned.

Elsewhere, Caspian's eyes widened at what he found when he entered the practice court. Edmund's blade was pointed at a fallen soldier's throat, who looked ready to soil himself. The man, Caspian recognized, was the Captain of the guard in the castle, one of Caspian's best men. "Ed," Caspian said carefully. "You beat him, you can lower your sword now..." he said, approaching the younger man slowly. Edmund frowned, as if suddenly realizing where he was, and quickly withdrew the blade, apologizing gruffly to the older man on the floor. The Captain scrambled to his feet, bowed to them, then tried very hard not to run out of the court. "Want to talk about it?" Caspian offered with a raised brow.

"No," Edmund said simply, holstering his sword.

"Then how about a match? If you win, I shall leave and not bother you again," Caspian suggested.

"And if you win?" Edmund raised a brow this time.

"If I win, you'll tell me what's on your mind?" Caspian responded.

Edmund thought for a moment, then redrew his brother's sword. "Deal," he said, getting into a fighting stance. Caspian drew his own blade, and soon, the two men began circling each other. Caspian knew that in a fair fight, no matter how much older or stronger he got, Edmund would probably defeat him... he just had more experience than he did. However, there was a way to knock the younger man off balance... who said he would fight fair, after all? The men took turned running forward, slashing their swords and spinning in a deadly whirlwind of blades.

Caspian began to feel himself get forced into a corner as he desperately tried to block his younger friend's rapid blade thrusts and slashes. 'It's like he's trying to kill me!' he thought in exasperation. 'Have to... distract him...' he thought. "So... you and Natalie... having a rough... patch?" Caspian asked curiously.

"What's your angle?" Edmund glared.

"No angle! Just wondering how much... Natalie ripped your... heart out?" Caspian tossed in, deflecting a rather nasty blow.

"YAARGH!" Edmund charged full on, blinded by anger. Caspian saw his opening and dodged the attack, grabbing the younger man's wrist and squeezing a pressure-point, forcing him to drop his blade. Edmund spun around, but he came face to face with a sword.

"I believe I win this match, King Edmund?" Caspian said, panting from the fight.

"Congratulation," Edmund growled, slapping the sword out of his face and storming out of the room irritably, after snatching back his sword.

"Hey! We had a deal!" Caspian called, putting his sword away.

"'Deal's been broken!" Edmund snapped. His footsteps were loud on the stone floor, and if he were not concentrating on the sounds his boots made, he would have heard shifting behind him. As it were, he was completely unprepared for the dagger that hit the wall next to his head on his way out. "What the bloody hell?" Edmund whirled around again, glaring at the amused looking older King. "Are you _trying _to get me killed?!"

"No, just trying to get your attention," Caspian smirked.

"There are better ways to do that! Like talking!" Edmund yelled.

"Ed, why are you behaving this way? You've never been a sore loser? Please just come over here and talk?" Caspian asked. Edmund's jaw set and his hand tightened on the hilt of his brother's sword, but in the end, his shoulders dropped and he sighed in defeat. He walked over to his old friend and leaned against the wall near him.

"Speak if you must," Edmund said in obvious annoyance.

"I'd rather _you _speak, my friend. What's on your mind?"

"It's nothing," Edmund glared at the floor.

"That's obviously not true," Caspian countered. "I know it's about Natalie, I know you have some feelings for her and that she... well, all I know is something didn't go right between you two, I just want to know if you two are okay? If this fight, or whatever it is, will end soon?"

"I don't..." Edmund frowned. "I... don't know," he sighed, rubbing his neck and looking up at the ceiling, counting the bricks that lined the wall.

"Ed?" Caspian probed after a moment.

"I think I... may have pretty strong feelings for her..." Edmund admitted quietly.

"I noticed," Caspian nodded.

Edmund crossed his arms and his shoulders sagged. "I messed up, Caspian... I was too forward with her, I think," Edmund admitted. "I know she's a bit troubled by her past, and I know I should have been a bit more patient with her... but I never thought she's react this way to a little teasing?"

Caspian shook his head, not really wanting to know _how _the younger man 'teased' Natalie. He didn't want to have to _kill_ the younger man. "You told her about your feelings?" Caspian questioned instead.

"No, I think if I had told her I had any form of feelings other than friendship for her, she would have left the castle or something, instead of just avoided me... Caspian, what do I do? How do I fix this?" Edmund asked in desperation.

Caspian frowned thoughtfully and placed a friendly hand on his friend's shoulder. "Lucy is speaking to her as we speak, hopefully she'll have calmed her down a bit and reasoned with her. Look, this is my own opinion, but I'm pretty certain that Natalie has some feelings for you too. I'm not sure what those feelings are, but I bet if you continue to _gently _try to... well, 'chip away at her defenses' as Lucy put it, she might open up some more to you," he advised. "Just try to be a bit more tactful next time, alright?"

Edmund took all of this in for a moment, then turned to Caspian and smirked. He punched his old friend's arm lightly and stood. "You know, you remind me of Peter sometimes," Edmund mentioned. "Thanks for knocking some sense into me, _brother_," Edmund gave the older man a brotherly smile.

"I'm honored to be a brother to you, my friend," Caspian grinned back. Edmund then nodded, and left to wash up. That evening, a few hours after Lucy and Caspian had their talks with their brother and friend respectively, Caspian met Natalie in the hallway in front of the dining hall door. "Hey, Crow," he gently greeted her with his nickname for her.

"Hey, Lech..." Natalie responded in kind, a weak smile playing on her lips. She hadn't spoken to Caspian alone in quite a while, she missed his brotherly presence. Caspian had reminded Natalie of her own brother from the start, though vastly different in appearance, it made her heart feel both light and ache at the same time sometimes.

"How are you holding up?" He asked her curiously.

"I... well... I don't know," Natalie sighed.

"Well... come on, we should head over to the dining hall before Lucy ropes us in there herself," Caspian smiled, pulling Natalie into a one-arm brotherly hug. Natalie allowed him to hug her, too tired of pushing the people she cared about away only to end up hurting them and herself in the process to stop him. When the entered the dining hall, both Edmund and Lucy were seated in their seats. While Lucy waved at them happily, Edmund didn't stir, just continued to poke the goblet in front of him idly. At least Edmund didn't look like he was one evolution away from killing someone with his eyes anymore, there was that. Still, neither he nor Natalie spoke during the meal, but if the glances between them said anything, it said that they were willing to either talk, or at least listen, and that was big improvement.

After the meal, Natalie excused herself and left in the direction of the gardens. Edmund watched her go for a moment before he got nearly identical glares from both Caspian _and _Lucy. "What?" he demanded.

"Go!" They both said. Edmund scoffed in irritation but got up and, with his hands in his pockets, made his was to the gardens irritably. Honestly, it was as if he had two mothers! Or worse, two Susans! When he got there, he found Natalie seated in the same spot she had been sitting at when she... pulled his heart out and stomped out it. He took a deep breath and walked over to her.

"May I?" he once again asked. This time, Natalie simply nodded, scooting a bit so he could sit. "So... we need to talk..." Edmund began.

"Probably," Natalie mumbled.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to... intrude in whatever it was- look, I don't even really know what it is I did wrong, I'm just sorry, okay?" Edmund sighed.

"No, you have nothing to apologize for..." Natalie shook her head. "I just... can't let you get too close, that's all. You're a great... friend... Ed, and I don't want to lose you, okay?" Natalie admitted, then stood, moving to leave once more.

"No! You're not leaving so easily this time!" Edmund said, jumping up out of his seat.

As cliché as it was, Natalie felt his hand shoot out and grab her wrist, holding her in place. "Let go. Why are you making this so difficult?" she begged him, tugging weakly at her arm.

"I am _not_ the one making it difficult," Edmund laughed humorlessly, but let her wrist go anyway.

"Why can't you just... leave me alone?" Natalie sighed wearily, though she made no move to leave this time.

"You can't get rid of me that easily, Nat," Edmund warned her. "And you're going to _let_ me stay."

"You're certainly optimistic..." Natalie smiled weakly, though she was still refusing to look at him.

"You'll _never_ lose me, Natalie, I _promise_," Edmund said gently.

"Never say 'never', Ed. You shouldn't make promises you can't keep either. Anything is possible," she whispered.

Edmund sighed inwardly in relief, at least she was calling him by his nickname again. He hooked her chin with his finger and forced her to look at him. "While that's all true, try to look at life with a bit more positivity, will you? Just because you've had some bad experiences in the past, doesn't mean you'll _always _have bad experiences! Everything will be okay, you'll see," he told her. He let go when she moved away again, a sad smile on her face.

"If only..." They did not speak more that night, feeling a tear between them. They were much better than they were for the past two days, since the ball, but something was still wrong. Neither of them knew what is was and how to mend it yet though.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Ahh! Please make it stop! I don't know about you folks, but this angst is starting to give _me _ulcers! And I'm the author! A lot of people are comparing Caspian to a brother in this chapter lol. Anyone catch the Dawn Treader reference? A plate of warm gooey delicious cookies for you if you did!


	15. Chapter 14

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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In a far off land, in an ocean of sand, a man in a hood stood over a dune, overlooking his village, watching his people work in the heat of the sun. In the far distance, the man could see the capital of his land, standing tall and strong, the city of Tashbaan. The mighty city was surrounded by a large, beautiful river, making it look like a gem in a sea of orange and yellow. He loved his country, no matter how immensely hot it got at times. As he rode down with his horse, smiling at the people that greeted him, he saw his troops some ways away from the village. He rode to them and nodded in greeting.

"Sir, everything is quite here. If I may ask, General Almaneesh, why the patrol out this far?" A soldier asked.

"I..." Almaneesh paused, unsure of how much he should tell his men. "I simply felt like the Archenlanders might try something, so I wanted to make sure everything was quiet," The General said simply. He did not want to tell his men that he had been hearing voices for the past three days, voices that told him that the Narnians were planning something. He didn't believe the voices at first, thought himself going mad, but it had been getting more and more difficult to ignore. Finally, he gave in and rode out into the desert with his most trusted men. As night fell, the men made camp in the border between Calormen and Archenland. As Almaneesh slept, the voice intruded in his dreams once more.

"_The Narnians have taken everything from you, my Lord..." The voice said._

"_They have done no such thing," Almaneesh argued._

"_Oh but they have! They took away your power, becoming the strongest of the countries, ruled by children and harboring those demon talking animals..." The voice argued._

"_They aren't... really demons... and it doesn't... matter!" Almaneesh argued back, but he could feel himself being overtaken by impure thoughts all the same, no matter how much he fought it. _

"_Centuries ago, the Narnians defeated you in battles, they mock you, took riches from you, the need to be punished!" The voice hissed._

"_N-No! I... yes... they need to be punished..." Almaneesh felt his control slipping._

"_Destroy Narnia, and I shall give you everything you desire... I shall bring back what you hold most dear..."_

"_My... my wife?" Almaneesh's voice choked, tears running down his tanned, scratchy beard covered cheeks. _

"_Yes... I will bring her back from the dead, you have only to aid me, my Lord, and I shall make _you _Tisroc!"_

"_Yes... yes... I will aid you... I will do as you command..."_

"_Good... now, wake up. Take your men to your city! Slip in unnoticed, and _kill_ the Tisroc! He is an evil man, just like those of his blood before him. His lineage sighed a treaty with the Narnians long ago, he too must be punished for the crimes of his forefathers! Do not worry, I will spread my influence through you, and you shall enlighten those around you. When you have done that, prepare to teach the Narnians a lesson they have been sorely needing!"_

"_Yes... my Queen..." _Almaneesh woke with a start, gasping and panting. His eyes wide and his pulse racing. He jerked to the side and found his sword and shield. He picked them up and scrambled to his feet. "Wake up, men!" he ordered. "Wake up! Get off your hides!" The men around him stirred and stood to their feet, alarmed at their General's sudden urgency. Were they under attack? "We're going to kill the Tisroc, he is... he is an evil man... he must be punished..." Almaneesh told them.

"What! You're ma-" A soldier began to say, but staring into the cold, lifeless eyes of his General, he felt he was right, the Tisroc had to die, for the good of Calormen. "Yes sir, you're right sir, we will follow you..."

"We will follow..." The rest of the men said numbly. And so, the fifty or so men rode out, toward the capital city once more, their purpose firmly branded in their clouded hearts.

Some days later, a hawk flew through the air, as quickly as he could. He dived down as soon as Castle Caspian was in sight, and, disregarding proper protocol, flew right in through a window and straight to the dining hall of the castle, where he knew the King would be having the morning meal.

"Are you sure you're not hungry, Natalie? You haven't eaten much these past few days..." Caspian said slowly.

"Yes, we're worried about you, Nat," Lucy frowned sadly.

"I said I'm fine!" Natalie sighed. Edmund stood from his seat then, intending to leave the room at once before he did something foolish, like ruin the tentative 'truce' between he and Natalie, but was stopped when a large hawk flew over his head.

"Your majesties!" the hawk said, flying around the alarmed royals plus guest and landed on the back of a chair. "My Lords and Ladies! I bring most troubling news indeed!" the hawk panted.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Caspian asked, sitting up from his seat

"There is word that a rebellion has broken out in the streets of Calormen! The Tisroc has been murdered in his sleep and a revolt is at hand!"

"That's terrible!" Lucy gasped.

"Forgive me for sounding callous, but what does that have to do with us?" Edmund asked, his tone bitter as it had been for the past few days.

"Reports say Calormen has broken the treaty! They are massing an army and intending to strike at us! They plan on marching passed Archenland without them knowing and clipping our wings while he are in our nests! Reports say they are on the move as we speak!" The hawk explained.

"So they want war, huh?" Edmund's frown deepened. "I guess if that's what they want..."

"Hold on, Ed," Caspian frowned in concern for the foul mood his friend was in. "Hawk-"

"Frederick, sire," The hawk corrected. "I-It's an odd name, I know..." if hawks could blush...

"Frederick, why are they seeking war against us?" Caspian asked.

"Word has it they think Narnia is full of evil beings and they wish to purge us from the land," the hawk said.

"There is no way of convincing them otherwise?" Lucy begged.

"No, my Lady, they seem hellbent on war," The hawk shook his head sadly.

"Thank you, Frederick," Caspian nodded. "Go prepare the other Talking Animals, will you?" he asked. The hawk bowed and flew off to do the King's bidding. "So I suppose we should go get ready too, if we are to meet them before they reach us," Caspian mentioned, standing from his seat. "Lucy, will you stay and watch over Narnia while Edmund and I are gone?" he asked, pleading in his eyes. Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but she knew that someone had to stay behind and rule over Narnia. Her jaw set and her brows furrowed but she nodded, accepting the responsibility. "Natalie, will you aid Lucy?" Caspian asked, turning to her.

"I'll do my best," Natalie nodded. She was still a little shocked to see talking animals, but after almost a month of being around some, as Caspian had some fawn, rat, wolf, and cat servants that could talk, it was getting easier at accept.

"Good," Caspian sighed in relief and turned then to Edmund. "Ed, you've fought against Calormen before, yes?"

"I have," Edmund nodded.

"Tell me, how much more dangerous are they compared to Telmar? Not including the Giants of course," Caspian asked.

"They are a militaristic culture, as you know, they'll stop at nothing until they reached their goal. Simple light armor is not advisable against them," Edmund told him.

"Then we should go get prepared then," Caspian sighed.

"I will meet you in the barracks in a bit, I will go send word to prepare the troops," Edmund told him. Lucy and Natalie watched the men leave as though hell itself was on their heels.

Lucy led Natalie to the main hall to wait for the men. As they waited, Natalie's mind kept wandering to the last civil conversation she had with Edmund, a few days ago. He had told her about positivity... 'Where is that positivity now?' she thought bitterly. 'I knew I was going to lose him in the end... I am cursed...' Natalie felt a tear run down her cheek.

"Nat, you won't lose them, okay? Caspian and Edmund will come back and everything will be fine!" Lucy insisted, as if reading Natalie's mind. "Remember, they've been in battles before, they know what they're doing," she assured her older friend.

"I hope you're right," Natalie sighed nervously. She thought for a moment, what if her purpose here was to somehow aid them in this war? But how? She was useless! She had no skills, could barely shoot a bow, and was even a bad friend! What could she possibly do?

"The best thing we can do right now for them, is support them and make sure Narnia is safe," Lucy mentioned, once again as though he was reading her thoughts. Natalie smiled weakly, Lucy really was a good friend to her, only her brother had been able to read her so well in the past. About two hours later, the girls stood from the steps they had been sitting on, seeing the men walk in, decked in armor so bright and regal looking it was an almost painfully beautiful sight to see. Now, Natalie had always found men in uniforms attractive, but attractive men in full-body medieval battle-armor was just _sexy_!

Edmund carried no shield, like Caspian did. Instead, the Just King carried his brother's sword on one side and his own on his other side, a sword that looked similar to his brother's, a twin blade perhaps. His armor was a brighter metal than his companion's with gold and red fabric covering the front, a familiar gold symbol of a lion in the front. She had seen depictions of a similar look on him in the books she had studied with Marcus, but this armor was far heavier and more complete than the light, chain armor he had worn before. It might have looked amazing, but it didn't look very comfortable at all.

Natalie watched as Lucy hugged her brother awkwardly, barely able to fit her arms around his hulking armor. She wondered idly if he would be able to even lift his sword with all that armor on. Suddenly, she felt herself being pulled into a hug and looked up to see a very worried looking Caspian. She smiled weakly at him and hugged him back. "Take care of Lucy for me, okay? She puts up a strong front but she's really quite sensitive on the inside," Caspian told her.

"I will, don't worry," Natalie promised, then pulled away from him. As Caspian went over to hug Lucy, she turned to see Edmund walking over to her. She saw the loss in his eyes, asking her permission to say goodbye to her. "I won't say goodbye to you," Natalie told him. Edmund frowned for a moment, confused, but then understanding registered in his eyes and he nodded. Natalie walked closer to him. They stood in front of each other silently for a moment. She had to make sure he knew she still cared deeply for him but how? Wait... Natalie reached in her shirt and pulled her necklace out. "Here, take this," She pulled it over her head and gestured for Edmund to bend a bit. Edmund gave her a pained look but did as he was asked.

"Didn't you say this belonged to your mother?" He asked her quietly. He was aware of precious this necklace was to her, if he lost it in battle...

"It did, but now I want you to hold onto it for me, okay?" She slid it over his head and tucked it under his armor. "You remember what you promised me, right?" Natalie asked him seriously.

Edmund took her hand and looked right into her eyes. "I remember," he said softly. Natalie's eyes dropped sadly and he gently took her chin, making her eyes meet his again. "I'll come back... I'll bring you the necklace back, I _promise,_" he insisted. Natalie could no longer help herself. Edmund was surprised when she suddenly wrapped her arms around him.

"You better," she warned him, hiding her face in his chest, ignoring the cold metal of his armor. Edmund wrapped his own arms around her and held her tight. He breathed deep, taking in her warm, apple-cinnamon scent. Why had he not noticed how good she smelled before? Like apple pie, it reminded him of home and he found himself holding her tighter, not wanting this moment to end. This was the closest they had been in days. It should have made Edmund feel better, but instead, it brought an ache to his heart. After a few minutes, she pulled away from him, turned, and walking back over to Lucy's side. Edmund nodded in understanding and put his own helmet on. His red cape swept about him as he spun around, joining Caspian, mounting his own horse and riding with him to the front of their troops.

Natalie and Lucy watched until the mass of soldiers could barely be seen in the distance. "This is the first time I've been forced to stay behind during a war," Lucy mentioned softly.

"Really?" Natalie asked in surprise, turning to her friend.

"Yes... in the past, I have _always _aided in the battles," she said, clutching a bottle strapped to her belt.

"What's that? I don't think I've noticed it before," Natalie questioned.

"This?" She fingered the bottle. "Have I not told you about it before?" Natalie shook her head. "It's a healing cordial, giving to me by father Christmas. One drop of the liquid can heal any injury," she explained.

"Father Christmas? As in Santa Claus?" Natalie snorted unlady-like in amusement. Well imagine that, the first thing that brought her an emotion other than regret and sadness in a few days!

"Well, sort of... not really, not Santa Claus like he is portrayed back home, this is simply a man that gives gifts to those who need them," She shrugged. "This healing cordial... I have saved my siblings from death many times with it in the past... but this time, I'm not going to be there to help them..." Lucy trailed off.

"I'm-I'm sure they'll be fine, Lucy..." Natalie told her. "They'll be _fine_," she said again, though this time it was more to convince herself than it was to her young friend.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: The story's about to get _really _interesting now! There is still some angst hanging around Natalie and Edmund! D:

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson**: Please don't hate meeee! D: the angst will be over very soon, I promise lol XD


	16. Chapter 15

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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The hands on the clock ticked by slowly, too slowly. Natalie sat alone in the library, staring into the fireplace, watching the embers snap and crackle. She wondered if she could have said something differently to Edmund before he left. She knew of course that there was no way of knowing that they would go to war a few days later, but she just wished she could have stopped herself from fighting with him. 'I shouldn't have said those things to him,' she thought sadly. Natalie knew it was useless to beat herself up over her actions, wish she could have said something different, or more meaningful, wish she wasn't so afraid of what could or could not happen. But oh how she missed her friends... how she missed _him._

Had it been minutes? Hours? Days? The whole day seemed to just drag on by for Natalie and Lucy. The duties of being Queen only seemed to keep the younger girl busy, but what was Natalie to do, but worry over her friends and the status of the war? "You really should eat, Nat..." Lucy said quietly, noticing the distant look in her friend's eyes during lunch that afternoon.

"I'm not very hungry," The older girl replied barely above a whisper, but even as she said this, she took her spoon and ate some, knowing it'd be foolish to let her worry keep her from eating and get sick because of it. "How good are they, really?" she suddenly asked, glancing up at the younger girl.

"Caspian and Edmund? They're both very good warriors," Lucy answered. "Caspian has shown himself to be able to keep up with Edmund, don't you remember that duel we watched? Edmund is more skilled than him still, especially with all the extra training he's been doing since we all arrived here, but Caspian can hold his own against him. Together, they're a force to be reckoned with. They're both fine..." Lucy told her, though she didn't look as convinced as she sounded. "Hey, do you want to hear a story?"

"Sure?" Natalie answered.

"Alright, well, I'm probably not as good a story teller as my brother, but here goes! A long ago, and this is a true story, during what is referred to as the 'Golden Age', my brothers, my sister, and I became rulers over Narnia. None of us knew what we were doing, we were inexperienced and a bit scared that we would mess up horribly. At the time, Edmund was just a ten year old boy who could barely even lift a sword. So he trained for several years with our arms-master, Oreius, under Peter's order to get him to be the best sword-fighter in all of Narnia! Peter must have seen something in Edmund that none of us did, because he never doubted he could pull that off, even when we sometimes did. At around sixteen, the giants from the mountains attacked us, wanting more territory, and Peter had Edmund follow him into battle with us. This time though, Peter wanted Edmund to fight at Peter's side, instead of hanging behind to 'protect us' like he usually did. Edmund wasn't sure of himself, didn't believe he could ever become what Peter expected him to, but Peter believed in him.

"At one point, a giant got very close to Edmund, without my brother even seeing him approaching. Peter, of course, rushed over and tried to defend Edmund, but was knocked back with a huge club! Edmund had turned and seen the blood on Peter's armor. I don't think I had ever seen him look so furious. He lifted his sword and challenged the giant, knowing how ridiculous that looked. A mere boy, challenging a brute like a mature giant! The giant, of course, thought it was very funny and started laughing, not paying attention to the 'runt' by his feet. Edmund used the giant's distraction to rush forward lunge his sword at him, killing the giant instantly! Peter was still on the floor when he alerted Edmund to three other giants heading toward them, their clubs swinging menacingly. Things didn't look good, Peter was wounded and Edmund wasn't as experienced as him quite yet.

"All the same, Edmund helped Peter up and displayed an amazing feat of swordsmanship that none of us had ever seen. Oreius had this knowing look on his face, so I figured it was something that Edmund had been having difficulty learning, but finally got it during the battle. In the end, Edmund swallowed his self-doubt and fear, and helped defeat the enemy and send them running with their tails tucked between their legs!" Lucy smiled. "Edmund spent the next nine years sharpening his skills and went on proving Peter right, becoming even more skilled with a blade than the High King himself!" Lucy grinned.

"Now, during the revolution, Edmund hung back and left Peter and Caspian to do most of the fighting. Being a seemingly pampered Prince, none of us really thought Caspian had what it took to lead an army and do well in battle. We were proven very wrong when he showed us just how passionate and skilled a warrior he was, fighting right alongside Peter and Edmund! I was occupied at the time, but Susan told me he was a very graceful and wonderful fighter. Even Aslan himself praised him!" she finished.

"That's pretty cool," Natalie smiled, partly wishing she could have had such an epic upbringing. "So you're saying, that even if things seem hopeless, Caspian and Edmund will find a way to win this war?"

"I'm sure of it," Lucy beamed. 'I hope...' she added mentally. While she had no doubt her friend and brother were amazing warriors, she knew that Calormen, being a militaristic culture, had some pretty incredible soldiers as well, and _more of_ them...

Meanwhile, Caspian and Edmund's army reached a large open area, very similar to the Fords of Beruna, just on the border between Narnia and Archenland. They had sent word to Narnia's allies of the Calormen army, but the scouts hadn't returned since and no word from Archenland told them that they were on their own. The enemy was nowhere to be seen yet, but reports said they were just a few hours away. The Narnians waited, watching the rocky pass where scouts had said the Calormen troops would pass through. Fog filled the air from the odd heat waves through the Archenland pass, from Calormen, as if the coming winter was chasing away all the remaining heat. While the mist served to cloak them, it also made it more difficult to see their enemy.

It wasn't very long until rustling and dull marching could be heard in the distance. Their enemies had arrived. "This is it," Edmund muttered to himself, glaring through the slits of his helmet. Amidst the ominous fog a cloud of dark shapes appeared over the horizon. His horse jerked to the side, panting in fear. "Easy there," he soothed, trying to reassure his horse. "I agree, boy. Something doesn't feel right about this," he muttered. He looked over and saw his friend and co-King of Narnia move over to him with his own horse.

"Observation?" Caspian asked, glancing back over to the black mass in the distance.

Edmund watched the enemy army appear through the fog and frowned. "Looks like three, maybe four battalions, armed to the teeth," he answered.

"This won't be an easy battle," Caspian sighed.

"It never is," Edmund agreed. "I have a bad feeling about this one, Caspian."

Before Caspian could say anything, one of their Generals addressed them. "Your majesties, they've stopped," a centaur mentioned near them. Caspian and Edmund turned to the battlefield and saw their enemy completely now. Sometimes Edmund hated being right, it was definitely a very large army. The armies glared at each other, no one daring to make the first move. The stalemate wouldn't last long, however, and soon cavalry from each army was sent forward. Edmund and Caspian split the army in two, each commanding a score of troops to flank the enemy.

"For Narnia!" Edmund yelled, pulling both of his swords forward as his sword galloped away, leading his troops.

It had already been three days since the men left, and each day, the girls got letters from both Edmund and Caspian. "That sounds like a pretty big army?" Natalie frowned. Lucy had just read her letter from Edmund out loud, a horror-stricken look clouding her eyes. "But that doesn't mean they'll fail, they're strong," Natalie added, walking over to kneel by her friend's throne, looking up at her. "Lucy, you have to be strong for them too," she told her, feeling more confident than she had since they left. Something was keeping the nightmares out of her dreams, a soothing presence, telling her everything would be alright. She just wished she believed it as much as she led on.

"Edmund!" Caspian called, but the younger man ignored him. 'Damn!' He thought. "Ready yourselves!" he called to the troops. Caspian knew his young friend was getting impatient, it was only a matter of time before it got to him. It seemed the real battle was about to begin now. Caspian just hoped his friend didn't anger too many of them at once.

Edmund rode ahead of the army, tired of the ridiculous skirmishes between the armies. He wanted a break from that, wanted some leverage! If he could just get them to break formation! And so, once he got far ahead enough, he got off his horse. He slapped the horse's hind leg, sending it running off to safety, and then turned to the approaching army. With a glare he drew both his swords, positioning himself in a defensive stance and challenging those brave enough to face him. "Come on, take the bait..." Edmund said to himself.

"He's just a boy!" One of the enemy solider sneered.

"Do you not know who he is? Have you not read the stories? He is King Edmund the Just! A King of Old! He's the one of the most skilled warriors in history!" Another soldier spat.

"So what? Look at him! He doesn't look so tough!" The previous soldier frowned.

"I say we go down there an teach that boy a lesson! We're elite soldiers! We can handle just one whelp!" Another soldier called.

"Yeah!" Some more agreed. Soon, fifteen or so men broke formation, riding off to hope to slaughter one of the main Generals of the Narnian army, and a King to boot!

"Back to your positions!" The commander in the nearest battalion yelled, trying to get the five soldiers that broke formation to get back in line, but to no avail.

Edmund grinned drearily to himself, there were _always _those foolish enough to face him ahead of everyone else, those foolish enough to think he was a mere child. "Come on then! If you've got the stones to face me! Prove your worth!" Edmund taunted, making his twin blades dance about him in a deadly flourish. A few of the men paused at the display, both parts mesmerized, and terrified. They had not noticed that this man had _two _swords, and obviously knew how to use them. "Come, I'm just one man," Edmund smiled ruefully. The men looked at each other, and then charged him once more. 'Fools...' he sighed inwardly.

Lucy paced from on end of the throne room to the other, shaking her head and chewing on her thumb. "Lucy, would you please, sit down? You're making me dizzy," Natalie said, trying to lighten the mood.

"It's been six days already, Nat... _six days_!"

"That's not so long, you know, it is a _war _after all, not a street fight..." Natalie reminded her quietly. "Besides, were you not the one who told me that story about your brother? You told me he was an amazing swordsman, right?"

"I know," Lucy sighed and finally sat at her seat. "I'm sorry, I know. It's just that, no matter how great a swordsman he is, Edmund has always tended to get a bit carried away when he fought... he's so over-confident that he doesn't even notice that he's getting hurt! He could be in a ditch somewhere dying and I'm not there to help!" she sighed loudly this time. "At least Caspian is there to keep him level-headed..."

"I'm sure everything is just fine," Natalie smiled, trying to reassure her. 'Please let everything be fine...' she prayed silently.

Elsewhere, hours later, the Narnian troops led by Caspian and Edmund, chased after two of the four remaining battalions. "We have them on the run!" Caspian cheered to his soldier, who cheered back.

"I don't know about this, Caspian. They still out-number us," Edmund frowned, wiping blood and sweat from his forehead, having long since lost his helmet. He didn't need it anyway, it barred his vision and he needed all the visual aids he could get to fight several enemies at once without a shield.

"Were you not the one that rode on ahead of us to taunt them? It worked! They were so surprised by your defeating those men that their anger blinded them! We defeated two of their battalions with minimal losses! Now you hesitate? When we finally have the upper hand? I'm sure everything is alright, Edmund. Come on, friend, let's go teach them not to mess with Narnia!" Caspian clapped him on the shoulder in a comradely manner.

"Alright, but something doesn't feel right about this," Edmund sighed.

As the troops tiredly chased after their retreating enemies, they were not aware of the danger that built around them silently. They rode on through a narrow pass. "Don't slow down!" Caspian warned them, wary of the rocks that loomed overhead them. As they reached the end of the pass, they noticed large boulders being rolled over the exit. The horses reared up.

"Oh _no_, I knew it! We walked right into an _ambush!_" Edmund declared through gritted teeth, drawing both his swords and steeling himself.

"ARCHERS!" Caspian called, his horse turning from one side to the other in panic. The archers moved to the center of a box formation, lifting their bows up and waiting.

"Prepare to defend your positions!" Edmund told the troops. The surrounding soldiers raised their shields to protect them and themselves from the inevitable onslaught.

As calls and movements could be heard over the tall sides of the pass, Caspian turned to Edmund and gave him an apologetic look. "I am sorry, _my brother_, I should have listened to your instincts..." he said severely, as if expecting death at any moment. And why should he not? Things looked very bleak indeed.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Oh noes! D: I'm sorry if this chapter wasn't too exciting! I'm very rusty at action scenes, I didn't really know what to write! I'll try better next time... by the way, what I said about Edmund's past is made up, don't take it as canon, please! I figured something must have happened during the golden age, so why not restless giants wanting to expand their territory? R&R!

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson**: Aww, don't hate her, she's just scared of losing her friends (again) D: don't worry, character development means she won't _always _be like that lol.


	17. Chapter 16

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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It had been over a week since the men left to defend Narnia. Lucy shook her head in disbelief at how paranoid and jumpy the officials around her in the throne room were. Without Caspian here, and the responsibility of ruling over Narnia fell on her. She was forced to endure the decidedly boring and irritating meetings that Caspian often did. She didn't envy him, or Peter when he was High King. The men were talking about a preemptive strike against Tashbaan to ensure that Calormen knew Narnia meant business. It was ludicrous and Lucy was firm about her stance on the matter. She would not attack the capital of Calormen and risk a world wide war like that! Telmar was in an uneasy truce between Calormen and itself, but she knew that Calormen could bully Telmar into siding with them in a war if that happened. That only meant more meaningless bloodshed and death.

"No, I will not allow that," Lucy had said more than once. When the men tried her patience a fifth time, she had just about enough and stood from the throne, commanding the room. "That's enough, gentlemen! You heard me! We will wait and see what the scouts say when they return!" She told them. "I will not hear any more talk about attacking Calormen blindly. Am I understood?" she glared at them. She might have been only sixteen, but she was still Queen and she had plenty of experience.

"Y-Yes, your majesty..." The men obeyed.

Natalie was sitting outside of the council room while the meeting was going on when the doors finally opened and the council members came out. Lucy was the last to exit the room, sighing in fatigue. "You okay?" Natalie asked.

"Yes, I'll be fine, I just hope Caspian gets back soon! I've never had to deal with such bullheaded, arrogant men! They think because they're older, and _men_, that I don't know what I'm doing!" She glared at the floor.

"Wow, Lucy, I've never seen you this upset," Natalie mentioned, wide-eyed.

"I'm sorry, you're right, I should calm down," Lucy took a deep breath and nodded.

"No no, by all means, vent! Take it from me, keeping bad feelings locked in... just ends up hurting others in the end," Natalie advised. Lucy looked up at her friend and frowned sadly. She knew what, or _who _she was talking about. "Um, anyway, the scouts should be coming back in a few minutes," she told her.

"Is that why you've been waiting here instead of sulking- I mean reading something in the library?" Lucy smiled in mock-innocence.

"I do not _sulk_," Natalie denied, crossing her arms and giving her friend her back in mock-offense.

"Oh you're right, you don't sulk..."

"That's better," Natalie turned and raised a brow, knowing her friend wasn't done.

"You don't sulk, you pout, mope and gripe," the young Queen grinned.

"Look who's talking! At least I don't take my anxiety out on-"

"My Ladies!" Natalie and Lucy turned to see Frederick fly toward them.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Fred!" Lucy smiled at her avian friend.

"Good to see you too, my Queen! I bring good news!" The hawk smiled.

"Well what is it!" Natalie asked impatiently.

"The war is over, the enemy has been defeated. The troops are almost home!" Frederick beamed.

"That's great!" Natalie's eyes lit up.

"How far away are they?" Lucy asked.

"They've been traveling back for a day already, they should be here within three hours," the hawk informed.

"Wonderful! Excuse us, Frederick, we must prepare for their arrival!" Lucy took Natalie's hand and pulled her down the hall.

"Lucy! Slow down!" Natalie called. The older girl shook her head in amusement and let Lucy pull her to the guest wing. Lucy insisted they freshen up to greet their friends and the troops. The men were returning from a no doubt gruesome, bloody affair, and she wanted them to come back to beautiful women waiting for them. Natalie rolled her eyes but kept her opinions to herself and let Lucy have her way. She humored her friend and cleaned up a bit. One hour later, both girls were fresh and wearing nicer dresses. They took horses and rode out to the main gate, wanting to greet their friends and the soldiers as soon as they could. The women and young children, waited with them. They waited for their friends, fathers, brothers, and husbands. There were not a lot of human females that went with the men, barely any, most humans thinking battles and fighting were men's jobs. Most of the talking animals, fawns, dwarfs, centaurs, minotaurs, and the like, male and female, _did _go however.

Lucy thought of her friends, Trufflehunter, Trumpkin, she hoped they were safe. She glanced over at Natalie and saw the worry she tried to hide. "Nat, what's the matter?"

Natalie sat silently for a moment, simply staring out at the main gate in the distance. "Nothing," she finally said.

"Are you sure?" Lucy frowned. She knew that not only was Natalie trying to hide her anxiety over losing her friends, but also what she would say to Edmund when he returned. She didn't figure it would be an easy reunion for them, she just hoped it wouldn't be too difficult.

"I'm sure," Natalie responded resolutely. Lucy sighed but didn't press her for more. Two hours later, the girls stood when they saw the troops in the distance. "Is it just me or does the army look _smaller _to you?" Natalie asked anxiously.

"It... it looks fine, it's fine," Lucy shook her head, once again clutching her healing cordial. It took twenty more minutes for the army to reach the village near the castle. Caspian was the first to ride forward to them, a sour look on his face. Lucy ran over to him and hugged him. "Caspian... where is...?" Lucy looked around but Edmund was nowhere to be seen.

"He's..." Caspian trailed off.

"_Dead?!_" Lucy felt a strong sting in her eyes and her heart still.

"No, goodness no, he's just back there!" Caspian pointed to the back, where Edmund was helping to carry an injured fawn. Caspian gave her an apologetic smile. "Bad joke, forgive me," he said sheepishly.

"You bastard!" Lucy punched him in the arm. She was too relieved however, to stay angry. She took off and barely gave Edmund enough time to give the injured soldier over to another before having to catch his little sister. "You're okay!" she sighed, hugging him tight.

"Of course I'm okay?" Edmund smiled tiredly and hugged his sister closer.

Meanwhile, Caspian received an unexpected hug from Natalie. He wouldn't complain of course, self initiated hugs from the girl was fairly rare so he learned to cherish them. "I'm glad you made it back safe," Natalie was saying. "But that little 'joke' you pulled on us was _not _funny," she scolded him as she pulled away.

"Yes... I-I know," Caspian blushed. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "Everything has just been so serious I wanted to lighten the mood, I suppose one never can when wars and death are involved? It was juvinile of me, unbecoming of a King, I'm sorry," Caspian apologized again.

"You're forgiven," Natalie responded, nodding in approval. She and Caspian watched Edmund and Lucy walk over after Edmund told the soldiers to return home to rest, they would be called later for the celebration.

Lucy stepped back from her brother and walked over to Caspian, smiling and nodding at Natalie to go greet he brother. Natalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes, but walked over to the tall boy anyway. They stood in front of each other for what seemed like hours, simply staring into their faces. "Hey, Nat..." Edmund said softly, after a moment. "So, can I... have a hug?" he asked her tentatively, not sure if his affections were entirely welcomed still or not. Natalie surprised and relieved him when she smiled tearfully at him, hugging him around his waist. Edmund smiled as brightly as his fatigue would let him, and wrapped his arms around the girl.

"You're back! You came back! Just like you promised! I... I missed you," Natalie whispered, hiding her face from him as a blush from the admittance covered her features.

Edmund nodded in agreement and hugged her tighter. "I missed you too," he whispered. "I told you, you wouldn't lose any of us," he added.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch," Natalie said, pulling away to smile apologetically.

Edmund grinned and shook his head. "I forgive you," he said softly. "Hey, I think this belongs to you?" he asked, pulling away slightly to retrieve her necklace from under his armor.

Natalie smiled affectionately as Edmund pulled the pendant over her head. "Thank you," she whispered.

After a few moments, Caspian and Lucy walked back over. "So, report? Why did Calormen attack us?" Lucy asked, looking at both men for answered.

"We caught a soldier at one point, asked him why they went to war with us. The man was barking mad!" Edmund told them. "He kept muttering to himself, straining against us, had this weird look in his eyes... and kept saying something about cold," he frowned. "We left him alone for a few minutes to discuss our options, and when we came back... he had strangled himself with his own bindings."

"That's weird," Natalie made a face.

"How awful!" Lucy gasped.

"Agreed, it was both weird and awful," Edmund nodded.

"We sent a message to Tashbaan, asking whoever was in charge there to tell us why they broke the treaty, but the response we got were less than helpful. The council members there had no idea what we were talking about, even found our inquiries an offense. I don't think this army was following the will of _all _of Calormen. The attack was unprovoked," Caspian sighed.

"You guys look exhausted, did you not rest at all?" Natalie frowned in concern.

"No. No rest, we could barely get a few hours of sleep at night before they started attacking again," Edmund shook his head.

"Then I suggest we discuss this after the two of you relaxed a bit?" Lucy said. "Why don't you two go take a nap and we'll have someone wake you when the celebration begins?"

"Sounds good to me," Edmund smiled. And so, while Caspian and Edmund rested, Lucy and Natalie helped coordinate the celebration. When everything was prepared, word was sent to the village and to Caspian and Edmund. A few hours later, people were walking into the ball room.

"Quit fidgeting, you look amazing," Lucy grinned at her friend. Natalie huffed, _still _not used to wearing such fancy dresses like the ones she had to wear to these sort of engagements. The girls had, surprisingly, finishes getting ready even before their friends did. Soon, the Kings were announced as they entered, looking both handsome and refreshed, though tense in the eyes. Lucy grinned conspiratorially with Caspian and walked off with him, leaving Natalie and Edmund to stand near the center of the great room alone.

Edmund rolled his eyes at his little sister and old friend but would not let this opportunity to talk with Natalie slip him by. "My Lady," he greeted her with a tired but still charming smile, putting his hand out to her.

"My King," Natalie managed to smile back at him, placing her hand in his. She would not think of how awkward it was between the both of them before the war, not here, not now. Edmund grinned and took her hand up, kissing her knuckles. Natalie could swear her heart beat could be heard throughout the whole hall. As Edmund withdrew his hand, their fingers were slow to slide off each other, lingering on a lasting touch. Natalie felt her blush deepen at what that could mean. For once, she didn't stop herself from feeling fluttery around him, she was sick of doing so.

"May I have this dance, Lady Valentine?" Edmund asked, offering his arm to her with a small bow. Natalie was prepared this time, having had a few lessons with Lucy before, to distract the girls from the fear of losing their friends and brother. She wasn't the best dancer yet, by far, but she was a quick learner and was sure she could keep up.

"It would be my pleasure, _my Lord_," Natalie answered with a small curtsey. As Edmund led Natalie toward the dance floor, Natalie's mind was filled with questions. "So what really happened over there?"

Edmund thought for a moment. A topic like this was best discussed with all of them, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to get her opinion. "It was so strange, Nat..." Edmund began, his eyes distant as memories of the awful battles swam before his eyes. "They just kept coming," he shook his head.

"Well, they had orders? They're not going to simply stop attacking..."

"Yes, but this was different. They had a mad look in their eyes, very different from the _usual _crazed look you see in soldiers," he sighed. "It was as if they had lost their minds, or had no control over their actions or something. At times they seemed to be coherent, seemed to know exactly what they were doing. They even managed to ambush us at one point!"

"Really?" Natalie's eyes widened.

"Yes, but we were able to climb over their trap and surprise them. They were taking too long to attack us, something wasn't right even then," he shook his head in disbelief again. "But even when we were winning, and their numbers dwindling, they didn't retreat, didn't stop. We were forced to kill every one of them... I've never seen a battle like that," he finished.

"Sometimes anger or fear makes us act reckless. They thought we were monsters, demons, right? Maybe they thought by sacrificing themselves, killing as many of us as they could, they were doing a service to the world?" Natalie suggested.

"Maybe..." Edmund frowned thoughtfully. It certainly made sense, but what didn't make sense was the mindless look in their enemies eyes. "Well, anyway, this is a time to celebrate, right?"

"Right," Natalie smiled.

"So, shall we dance?" Edmund grinned. Natalie blinked, then noticing that they had just been standing in there and not moving. She nodded to him and took his hand, letting him pull her close to him. She was sick of hiding what she felt all the time, even from herself, so when he pulled her against him, she allowed herself to relax against him, enjoy the feel of his arms around her. Soon the music swept them away and they felt miles away from everyone else, just enjoying being there together, finally, after one week of keeping each other part, and another being kept apart. They almost felt like strangers toward each other again, but then, maybe a fresh start would be better?

They swayed slowly with the melody of the soft music. Natalie felt herself draw closer to him, feeling his arms cocoon her in his embrace. Her eyes shut on their own accord as she absorbed him, content for the first time to just be in his arms, even as a _now much smaller_ part of her told her she shouldn't be feeling this way. But that voice had been dying out with each day she spent with him, each time she was proven wrong, made to see that he _wouldn't _leave her, like so many day done before. Like he had proven. There had always been signs for her, letting her know friendships wouldn't last... but this time, there was nothing. Not even a niggling feeling.

To think it took almost really losing him, to change her views. She made a vow then and there, killing the little voice that told her it couldn't happen. _She _would make sure she would not lose them, not her friends, not Edmund. _She _would take control and _she _would stick by them! No more would she hide behind her own sorrow, hide behind her insecurities and fear! No! She would not! Not _this _time!

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: About time the angst went away, yes? Just so you know, I haven't even started writing the next chapter yet. I usually have one done and in reserve in the doc manager, ready to post the next day, but I procrastinated and I'm behind! If I don't update tomorrow, I'll update the next day.


	18. Chapter 17

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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It had been a few days since the soldiers returned home. That night had been more wonderful than Natalie could have imagined. After the party, Edmund took her to the garden and they simply sat and talked. They didn't speak of any hidden profound feelings or regrets or anything of the sort. No, instead, they spoke of nothing and everything. They talked for hours about the silliest things, laughing and teasing each other like they hadn't ever stopped being comfortable with each other. They both knew, though, that they were hiding from their feelings, though neither knew exactly how the other felt. They knew that by not facing what they had said and done, they would just be mounting on the tension like they had been doing, not matter how nice it was right now to be reunited.

Still, for now, some lightheartedness would do everyone some good. Caspian and Edmund had taken it upon themselves to go to each family of one of their lost soldiers to break the news. Lucy got into contact with Calormen to see what had happened, and was alarmed to discover that the majority of Calormen had no idea what happened. One of their generals seemingly went mad and had the Tisroc killed, then somehow convinced soldiers to follow him into a suicidal war. Something didn't feel right at all. By the time things settled down again, there was an uneasy calm about the land.

All the same, people tried to return to normal, tried to put that awful war behind them, get on with their lives. And that's how Natalie found herself one morning, staring into her reflection. She glared at the skinny, useless woman that stared back. She had never felt so utterly useless before. How could she really call this place home if she could do nothing to help aid it when things like that 'Calormen Massacre', as it had come to be called, happened? She hated feeling useless and weak and knew she had to do something about it.

When Natalie woke that morning, she decided she would not just simply wander around the castle idly as she did before. She had a sword, did she not? She would learn to use it! She would be some use to her friends! She would help if and when something like that attack happened again if it was the last thing she did! That thought in mind, she grabbed her sword and set off to find Edmund. Predictably, she found him in the practice courts, sparing with a dwarf. "You've gotten pretty good, Trumpkin!" Edmund was saying, grinning at the fair-haired smaller man.

"Thank you, your majesty!" Trumpkin smiled, ducking over a slash and trying to get passed the young King's defenses to get a hit in. Edmund, however, had sharpened his skills since his return to Narnia and predicted the dwarf would try something like that, so he easily parried, and then, quicker than the older male expected, spun around behind him. Trumpkin turned, only to have a sword pointed at his face. Edmund grinned at the defeated dwarf. "I suppose I still have some ways to go before I can defeat you though, yes?"

"Not as much as you think! You've gotten really good, but your moves are kind of predictable. Maybe you should work on trying to surprise me next time?" Edmund advised with a friendly smile.

"Agreed," Trumpkin grinned. He paused when he noticed Natalie at the door, leaning against the frame and just watching them. "I believe you have company? I will take my leave now, your highness," Trumpkin bowed, bidding them a farewell and left for the barracks.

"Nat, what can I do for you?" Edmund greeted. Natalie walked over to him, though her eyes were slightly averted from him. Why couldn't she just feel normal around him? Why did her heat have to race? Why did her skin tingle the closer she got to him? Why did she have such a hard time breathing? "Hey? Are you alright? You look a bit flushed?" he frowned in concern.

"I'm fine," Natalie cleared her throat awkwardly. "I-uh, came here wondering if... well," she lifted her sword up. "I'm kind of sick of feeling so weak, you know?" she explained lamely.

"Oh, so you want lessons?" Edmund smiled, leaning against the railing that surrounded the training area.

"If you don't mind?" Natalie chanced a look at him, and felt her heart race even faster. He had apparently been training all day. Beads of sweat ran down the side of his face, passed his wet hair, and Natalie felt her eyes follow it down his neck and passed his thin white cotton shirt. She blinked, noticing then that his shirt was slightly damp, allowing her to realize that white worked just as well for men to show what they had underneath.

"My eyes are up here," Edmund grinned. He laughed when Natalie's face turned red and she spun around. "So, anyway, come on over here if you want me to train you," he smiled, grabbing the towel on the railing near him and wiping himself off a bit.

"A-Are you sure you're not too tired? I can come back-"

"No no, I'm fine! I'm still full of energy!" Edmund insisted. He gestured for her to walk over to him. Natalie sighed inwardly, wondering again what she got herself into but walked over to him. As she got to him, she watched Edmund flourished his sword, making it spin and dance about him rapidly, like an elegant but deadly waltz. It was even more beautiful up close than it was when she watched him train some times. Lucy was right, Edmund really was a beautiful swordsman, knowing just how to bend and move his wrists and the blade to make it look like the sword was bending with him.

"Show off," Natalie smiled, hiding yet another admiration she had for him. No need to give him a bigger ego than he already had, after all!

"I only show off what God gave me," He smirked.

"You mean your enormous... ego?" Natalie raised a brow and smiled teasingly. "That's about the only thing enormous you have I suspect..." she teased. 'Shouldn't have said that...' she thought, suddenly wondering just how enormous his 'ego' was. A deep blush stretched down to her neck and she forced the incredibly inappropriate images out of her head, including a memory of a dirty dream she had some weeks ago. Being able to vaguely see how well built and alluring this man before her was didn't help matters much though.

"Oh you did _not _just say that!" Edmund laughed. "That's a bit _below the belt_, don't you think?" He grinned, a twinkle in his eyes.

Natalie felt a shiver run down her spine at the dark look in his eyes and once again cleared her throat, playing it off like nothing. "Oh, I suppose you're right, forgive me," she smiled.

"Maybe you'll just have to make it up to me some time," He smiled slyly. Natalie bit her lip, realizing with a start that they were actually _flirting._ And she _liked it. _It was a far cry to what they were dealing with before. Things between them were obviously still a 'bit' tense, but how wonderful it was, to be able to speak with Edmund with relative ease again! She missed teasing him and being teased back! Whatever troubles they had been going through last week, it seemed there was a mutual understanding that it would be placed behind them. She missed him, so she would make sure now not to lose this again!

"Sounds fair to me," Natalie responded with a smile, thought part of her was anxiously wondering what he meant by making it up to him. Part of her hopes it was something like get him his meals or bring him papers or books or things like that... but another part of her, a part of her that had been becoming louder and more obnoxious lately, hoped it was something _else_. If she hadn't refocused her thoughts so quickly, she might have missed what happened next. Natalie's eyes widened, she could have sworn she just saw his eyes rake her up and down quickly, it was almost unnoticeable, but Natalie had caught it just on time. She suddenly felt like she wasn't wearing anything, but strangely enough, it wasn't a _bad _feeling when he was the one checking her out.

"I like to think of sword-fighting as a dance," he began, interrupting her thoughts, stopping the blades from spinning about him as he approached her. "Your sword is your partner, and you must take the lead, guiding it in the dance," he went on, his voice huskier than usual. He put his brother's sword forward, then, using his other hand, brought it up and turned it so an edge was facing him, right before his face. "See how my feet are spaced apart? Every move has a set of positions, even the simplest movements require certain foot movements," his eyes twinkled again, but this time, it was more of a boyish twinkle that told her he truly loved swordplay. She found the look endearing.

"Sounds kind of complicated. You _know _how I am with dances..." Natalie grinned playfully.

Edmund smiled back. "We'll try to keep it simple at first." He put his sword away and walked over to a wall, grabbing wooden swords. "I know you have a new sword you've been wanting to try, but for safety's sake and for these first lessons, I think wooden swords will be best," he said, handing her one of them. "First I'm going to walk you through some basic forms, show you how to move your feet and arms. When you have the basics down, I'll work on your strength so you can actually _lift _a real sword!"

"Hey, I can lift a sword," Natalie resisted the urge to pout, wondering where that came from. She hadn't pouted since she was little! Handling the wooden sword, she was surprised by how heavy even _this _was. If _this _was heavy, she couldn't imagine what it would be like using a real one as quickly and easily as her instructor here could.

"True, but not so easily, right? Even that wooden blade is heavy, isn't it? I want you to be able to lift a sword without your arms burning all the time," he told her. "Your sword must become an extension of your body, flow with your movements as easily as a blade of grass bends in the wind," he explained.

Natalie smiled, Edmund could be pretty poetic when he wanted to be. "Fair enough," she nodded in understanding. Edmund first showed Natalie how to stand with a sword, took her through a couple basic movements, then showed her a series of drills, telling her she would work on them in parts. Natalie took pride in herself for being a quick learner, but for some reason, she just could not learn a basic sword drill. The harder she tried, the more mistakes she made and soon it became too much for her. She really hated failure. "I give up, I don't think I'll ever be able to get this..." Natalie threw the wooden sword to the ground, angry at herself.

"Don't give up, Nat! You're doing fine, you just need to have more faith in yourself," Edmund assured her.

"Hmm, I bet all the faith in the world won't help me now..." Natalie sighed. She knew she was being childish, but she had never failed so many times at something before. It almost felt like she had a mental block not letting her get this.

"Not true. Here, let me tell you a story," Edmund began.

"I'm not in the mood for your stories, Ed," Natalie sighed, but Edmund ignored her.

"Ever heard about when I first started training as a Knight of Narnia?" He asked her. Natalie glanced up, she had to admit, she was interested, besides, she _missed _his stories. "When I was young, about ten or so, Peter wanted me by his side in battle, should it ever arise. He had more faith in me even before I had faith in myself," Edmund smiled fondly.

_The great centaur General Oreius worked ten year old Edmund hard, making him run until he felt pain and dizziness through the beach, then run some more, making him do push ups until he could no longer move his arms, and making him do sword drills and lift heavy objects until he could no longer move in general. It was no easy for the boy, not at all, especially when one feared their inadequacy and also their master. "Pick up the sword, boy!" Oreius frowned. This whelp was to be his next student? He respected High King Peter's word, but he hardly thought this scrawny pup could ever become a knight! Hah!_

"_Y-Yes, sir..." Edmund muttered as he picked up the very heavy blade. He had just been forced to run a mile without stop back and forth on the beach, his shoes sticking to the wet sand. He was exhausted and could barely lift the sword, but he tried anyway, his face turning read with the effort._

"_What was that?" Oreius yelled, making the boy jump._

"_Yes sir!" Edmund repeated with a gasp, dropping his sword, his arms shaking with fatigue._

_Oreius shook his head, turning from him. 'Pathetic,' he growled inwardly. "Grab your sword, King Edmund, defend yourself!" He snapped. Edmund swallowed nervously but did as he was told. He had forgotten a while ago that he had been recently crowned King and could order the overgrown pony to go to hell, but he knew everyone would be upset and disappointed with him if he did. Edmund lifted the sword, straining against it and gasped once more when Oreius slammed his own sword against his, making him fall back onto his butt and once again drop the sword._

_Oreius knew he was pushing the boy too hard, but this was supposed to be a King, he was supposed to defend them from their enemies. If he wanted to turn this boy into a man, he was going to have to be hard on him. However, he knew that he was not yet physically capable of taking as much as a normal squire."Hmph, lessons are over for today, go clean yourself up," Oreius ordered gruffly._

"That's awful," Natalie frowned. "I don't see why you have such a fond look in your eyes telling that story..." she raised a brow.

"I'm fond of the memory because it was the first time in my life that someone took me as more than a boy who needed someone to hold his hand. Oreius tried to turn me into a man, show me what hard work felt like, show me that I could be more than who and what I was," Edmund explained. "At first I went through a period of denial, anger, resentment, rebellion, and impulsiveness. But once I figured out that my worst enemy wasn't my master, but myself, I was able to work through it and be the pupil Oreius knew I had in me. It took me eight years to master a sword, seven more years to master two swords at the same time," he smiled. "In the end though, I became a Knight, and one of or _the_ greatest swordsmen in all of Narnia, and probably our world too," Edmund finished, and chuckled at Natalie's annoyed look.

"Look who's all high and mighty," she teased him. "But seriously though, you really expect me to turn out to be something like that?"

"Well, you don't have fifteen years to train... but I think I can manage to get you to at _least _be able to pick up a real sword, and swing it without loping your own arms off!" Edmund laughed but Natalie was not amused.

"Gee, thanks," she muttered dryly. Still, she smiled at him and thought that maybe she could do it too. What he described himself facing, denial, anger, and what have you, was very similar to what she was feeling. If she could get passed that, she was sure she could be a fighter too. Besides, if a ten year old boy could grow up to be such a fantastic warrior, she was sure she could at least learn to swing a sword properly! "Okay, let's try this again!"

"Good, now we can really get started then!" Edmund beamed.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I lied! I managed to finish this chapter pretty quickly! Oooo, something tells me the type of "tension" between them shifted a bit... XD R&R!


	19. Chapter 18

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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It was a particularly chilly morning the next day. Natalie felt sore from the basic training she received from Edmund the previous day. Really, it wasn't all that much, but for someone who never really exercised, it was quite a bit all at once. All the same, she looked forward to her training. It was exciting, bettering herself and working to be of some use in case something else happened. Natalie cheerfully prepared herself that morning, wearing a simple, but warm dress and some stalkings. She didn't remember autumn mornings in Boston being this cold, and it was way up north! Opening her door, she was greeted by her friends as usual.

"Good morning Nat!" Lucy greeted as cheerily.

"'Morning, Lu," Natalie smiled, closing her door and turning to them again. "Morning Ed," she nodded toward the object of her recent confusion. It wasn't like the confusion she felt before, half of her keeping him distant the other half wanting to be his friend. This was more of a 'what do I really feel around him?' sort of confusion. She knew she liked him, what was not to like? We was funny, intelligent, playful, very mature and serious when he needed to be, and frightfully attractive. But until recently, she had only thought of him as a good friend... but people didn't constantly have their _friends _in their heads. People didn't have scandalous dreams of their _friends. _The problem was, she had never felt this way about anyone, so she couldn't understand what it was.

"Morning, Nat," Edmund greeted back, pulling her out of her musing. They held eye-contact for a bit longer than was necessary. He cleared his throat awkwardly and glared at Lucy who tried to hold in a giggle. "How are you feeling today?" he asked with a raised brow.

As the three made their way down the breakfast, Natalie blinked in confusion, tilting her head. "What do you- oh, the training, right! Just fine, why do you ask?" she questioned, blushing slightly in embarrassment.

"Well, you spent most of the day yesterday learning the basics... I thought I would train your technique and strength a bit today?"

"Sounds good to me," Natalie nodded.

"What in the heavens are the two of you talking about?" Lucy asked bemusedly.

"Ed's teaching me to use a sword," Natalie beamed.

"Really? That's odd, I remember him telling me and Su that swords were for boys only and the lot of us would be better off being back at home doing womanly duties?" Lucy crossed her arms and gave Edmund a challenging look.

"Is that so?" Natalie turned to Edmund and narrowed her eyes.

"Now wait just a minute! I was fourteen! I didn't know what I was talking about!" Edmund's palms went up in defense. "I don't think that way anymore!" He insisted.

"Relax, Ed, I was just teasing," Lucy giggled.

"Hmm, I'm not so sure I believe you..." Natalie said, still narrowing her eyes at the young King playfully.

"You doubt me? I'm hurt!" Edmund acted injured, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. They laughed and joined Caspian for breakfast. Unfortunately, unlike Edmund and Lucy who could take a break from King and Queenly duties, Caspian had to insure diplomacy treaties and alliances were all still in place. He also had to figure out exactly why Calormen attacked them and why Archenland was in the dark about it. Edmund had offered to help him, but Caspian had assured him it wouldn't take long and not to trouble himself with it. Edmund felt a bit put off that he would be brushed aside like that, but he understood that Caspian was still trying to get a hang of being King, even though some years had already passed for him.

So, while Lucy went to visit her animal friends, Edmund led Natalie back to the training court, dismissing the guards that were posted there. He turned and smiled at Natalie. "So the first thing I'm going to teach you to do is some stretches," Edmund began.

"I may not be as fit as you but I do know how to stretch," Natalie retorted in amusement.

"The kind of stretches I'm going to teach you is specific to handling swords," Edmund smiled. "Stretching will allow you to move your arms around in a much wider range." He walked over to her and put his sword out, then began to step and move with the sword so it stretched out and arched widely, and then finally he maneuvered his wrist so his sword turned in his hand and he stabbed behind himself. "Moving like this will allow you a greater attack range and with stretches it'll let you do them easier," he told her.

"Sounds good," Natalie nodded. Edmund began to show her how to stretch her arms but it was clear she had never moved that way before.

"No, your feet need to be at the same length as your shoulders, like this," Edmund spread his feet apart. "Why don't I just show you like this?" Edmund walked over behind her and placed his hands on her arms. "Just relax your muscles, good," He moved one arm and kicked her foot a bit to get her to space it out a bit more. "Now hold this position for thirty seconds." Natalie tried not to feel him behind her, helping her stretch her arm out. She tried not to feel his hot breath on her neck, or his hand sliding over her arm to stretch it out to the side. She concentrated on the burn and the motion he was teaching her, but he was so close it, he was making it very difficult. As quickly as he had started, he stepped away. "Just like that. Now do the same for the other arm," he instructed. Natalie nodded and tried to copy the action.

Once her arms were stretched out, Edmund led her to a bar against the wall. "I think I know what I have to do here, pull-ups, right?" She guessed.

"Yep! Don't worry, I'll help you until you're strong enough to do them on your own," he smiled after seeing her apprehensive expression.

"Alright..." Natalie walked over to the bar. "It's a bit high up," she mentioned. Before Edmund could say anything though, she bent down slightly and jumped, catching the bar. The pull-up bar was obviously installed for someone much taller than her. She experimentally tried to pull herself up on her own and only managed a couple inches, but was unable to anywhere close to actually pulling up. Edmund moved over to her and she tensed slightly when she felt his hands on her.

Edmund knew he was crossing into dangerous territory, touching her like this, but... it was for her own good, really, he was helping her! His hands slid over to her sides, gripping her slightly to help her pull herself up. Natalie was glad she didn't need to use her legs at this point, she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep herself up. His hands burned her through her clothes, it was all she could do to concentrate on pulling herself up the bar. When the pain in her arms began to get noticeable, she was almost glad for it, it distracted her long enough to concentrate better.

"Fifteen is good for now, let your arms rest a bit," He told her, setting her down. "You okay?" He asked when she almost buckled onto the floor.

'I _really _need to get a hold of myself!' Natalie scolded herself. 'I'm acting like a school-girl with a crush!' she sighed inwardly. "Yep, I'm just fine, though my arms hurt like crap now," she answered.

"It'll hurt a bit the first time," He warned her. Suddenly they both went quiet and blushed. "The um, _stretches_, will take some getting used to..." he cleared his throat awkwardly. "After a bit of rest, I'll show you how to more easily use a sword," he said, turning to hide his blush. 'Well that came out all _wrong_!' he mused. Odd, his mind wouldn't have went _there _in the past. Funny how this woman could get him thinking things he wouldn't have thought of with anyone else! Not even those 'noble Ladies' from the balls years ago would have trigger it. After a few minutes, he walked her over to the center of the room, where he spread a mat across the floor. "To be able to fight with a sword, you must know how to fight with your hands first. This isn't exactly necessary to learn to use a sword, but I think it helps. As I said before, your sword is an extension of your arm, so your arm must know which direction to go and how to strike out," he explained. He showed basic martial arts, nothing too fancy but enough to show her that he knew how to fight even without a sword.

"What is that? Karate?" Natalie questioned.

"No, nothing like that, I made it up to suit my training," he answered. "Try this, remember how I showed you to stand with your sword? Do the same here," he said.

"Like this?" Natalie positioned her feet and arms in the manner he taught her.

"Yes, just like that! Wow, I only taught you that once, you're a quick study," he grinned. "Alright, now strike like _this_," he shot his fist forward and drew in his other arm to his chest. "This move will work great if you use a shield," he explained. "Wait, make a fist like this," he showed her his palm, then curled his fingers and slid his thumb across his index and middle finger. "If you tuck in your thumb inside your hand like that, you could break it, if you're ever in a fist fight."

"I thought you were teaching me to use a sword?" Natalie teased.

"I am, but it can't hurt to learn a few extra things, right?" He smiled. Edmund showed her how to strike with her arm as if she had a sword. "Great! Looks like you're getting the hand of it! Alright, now I'll show you how to move like that with an opponent," he moved in front of her and got into position. "I want you to keep moving the way you have been, remember to swap your feet like I showed you," he said. "And, begin!" They mirrored each other as they moved, but when Edmund went to 'strike', Natalie used the sweeping movement to knock his arm to the side. "Let's move a bit faster now, real sword fighting is fairly quickly, you have to sharpen your reflexes as well as your strength." Faster and faster they moved and Natalie showed him to be an apt student.

All it took was one accidental shift in movement, one step in the wrong direction, and suddenly Natalie found herself tipping backwards. 'Crap!' she thought as she fell back. Edmund shot himself forward, but had not looked at where he had placed his foot. In an effort to catch herself, Natalie had struck her foot forward, attempting to get leverage... what she _did _get was Edmund's own leg as he stepped forward to help her. Down they both went, falling into a heap on the training mat. "Well... at least I know how to take an opponent down now," she laughed softly.

"Yeah! Though you might want to work on getting back up quicker," Edmund agreed with a laugh. "Are you okay?" he asked, after a few moments of silence from her. He had landed on top of her and hovered over her but was yet to get up. It was then he realized that with his hands on either side of her and their legs tangled, his knees bracing himself the way they were, he effectively had her trapped beneath him in a very compromising position. They were so close, in fact, that Edmund had but to just tilt his head forward a bit and their noses would be brushing. A little bit more and he could kiss her, and she had nowhere to run if he did, she was after all trapped, at his mercy. His eyes darkened slightly and he glanced down to her mouth. He definitely liked the sound of that. Edmund moved slightly, without even actually meaning to, his eyes dazed, as if being magnetically drawn to the girl underneath him.

Natalie had noticed their position, or rather, his pinning her down to the floor, at the same time he did. She could just about feel his whole body, and she was _sure _what she was feeling _wasn't _his sword or his scabbard... just the thought made her flush a deep crimson. She swallowed, her throat suddenly going dry as a desert. She stilled, her heart racing faster than all the exercises she just went through combined. She had never wanted someone so badly before, and frankly, it was a bit disconcerting. Just a few weeks ago she would have been freaking out, but now she felt the opposite. Natalie watched his tongue dart out and wet his lips as a look of concentration filtered through his eyes. His lips were so inviting, all she had to do was move a little closer, push herself up a bit and- Natalie blinked in surprise when Edmund suddenly pulled away, smiling weakly at her. He stood to his feet and helped her up without another word.

"So..." he cleared his throat and wiped his palms on his pants. "We should try it again? Maybe try it with swords this time?" Edmund stepped back, quicker than necessary, and gestured for her to pick her sword up. He could not meet her eyes. Natalie felt confused and, yes, slightly upset. She had been so prepared, she wanted this, wanted to kiss him, and she was sure he did too, but he was the one to pull away from her this time. Now she knew how he felt whenever she pushed him away. It wasn't very pleasant.

"Yeah..." Natalie agreed halfheartedly. They continued practicing, though now they were _both_ distracted.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: _So _close! Haha! Natalie got a taste of her own medicine lol. I'm sorry it took me a while to update this. I originally had something else planned for this chapter, but because of the changes I made earlier to the story, what I had written no longer matched. I removed the bits that didn't match and kept what did, unfortunately, what was left was not a whole lot! I had to basically rewrite it to make it longer. It took a while because "Hearthfire" for Skyrim just came out so I've been a bit distracted! Sorry! Input means love!

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	20. Chapter 19

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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It had been a few days since the "almost-kiss incident" as Natalie liked to call it. Forty-seven hours, thirty-eight minutes, and fifteen seconds to be exact, but really, who was counting? Now Natalie was just being silly. Lucy and Caspian joined Natalie and Edmund that morning after breakfast even joined them in their warm up jog. The group silently ran along the beach together, the weather that day much too cold to spend excess energy speaking. Natalie found it a bit disconcerting how easily it seemed for them. She concentrated on the crunch of the frosty snow beneath her feet, not the burn in her lungs and pain in her calves. She had never run for more than thirty seconds straight without stopping, never had the need to. The chilly weather was making it hard for Natalie to concentrate on her jogging though. She rubbed her hands together and blew on them, trying to warm them with her breath. That was a difficult feat considering how out of breath she was with all the running. "It's... freezing out here!" she griped.

"You'll warm up in a second," Edmund informed her, glancing over. Caspian and Lucy were quite, they didn't look tired, but they did look cold. Natalie wasn't fairing much better, her nose and cheeks were rosy red and he could see she was panting from the jog. Clearly the cold weather was making it harder on her. They had only been jogging for five minutes but maybe they could continue later when they were warming from the rest of the activities. Edmund led them over to the practice courts and they finally stopped jogging once they got there. "Come on, Nat, get up, you have to stretch first, you know that," Edmund said, putting his hand out to her. Natalie had all but collapsed on the floor after they got there, sitting against the door by the wall. She didn't complain, just nodded and accepted his hand, letting him pull her back up.

The sudden movement caused her to tumble slightly, at the same time she reached over to catch herself, Edmund caught her as well. They both held onto each others arms, being pressed close together. They separated quickly, identical blushes on their cheeks. Caspian grinned at them but said nothing. He did however nudge Lucy who nodded in agreement. She gestured for him to follow her. "Caspian and I are going to go practice some archery!" she called to her friend and brother.

"Alright," Edmund nodded. Blinking in confusion as Lucy almost literally pushed Caspian out of the sword arena and out toward the target range in the back. He shrugged and turned to his student and smiled. "I guess it's just us two again," he mentioned.

"I guess so," Natalie said, trying to sound nonchalant as she walked over to the wooden swords. She grabbed two and handed one to her 'master' and then walked over to the center of the ring.

"Eager to get started then?" Edmund smiled, swinging his sword in a quick flourish.

"Yep," Natalie said simply. Edmund instructed her to practice the footwork and poses he taught her while he countered them in a mock fight. They moved slow, swinging, thrusting, and slashing their swords in wide archs and gentle movements. It was slow but Edmund tried to put in a surprising move to see what she would do, though for the most part she would miss the opportunity to counter-attack. That changed after a few misses though, and Natalie finally managed to successfully counter each attack Edmund sent her. He moved a bit faster then, trying to see if he could inspire her to move with her instincts. Natalie saw the attack coming from the corner of her eyes, she dodge and use her sword to block his attack quickly, reacting faster than even she was aware she could. Sure, he was moving slower than he would have been in a real fight, but for someone who had never used a sword it was quite a proud moment for her.

"Nicely done!" Edmund's eyes twinkled. Natalie beamed at him and nodded. She bit her lip when he stepped a little closer, 'encroaching' on her personal space, not that she really minded that much, _anymore _anyway. "Problem with staying still like this, is people can take advantage of you..." he warned her, giving her a look.

Natalie felt her heart race slightly but she tried to stay calm. "You going to take advantage of me then?" She asked teasingly, proud of herself for not stumbling over her words.

His eyes flashed and his grin widened. Edmund stepped just a little closer, so they were standing toe to toe and Natalie's sword was forced against her just a bit. "_Maybe_," he answered, his tone low and suggestive. The only thing keeping them from completely touching were their swords between them. Just a few yards away, Lucy _tried _not to spy on them as she practiced with her dagger and a bit of archery with Caspian, she really did! She held her breath, waiting for something, _anything _to happen between them. She had been waiting for them to stop skirting around each other for a month now! Had it really been that long already?

He was so close that Natalie couldn't help what she did next. She smiled and reached up, surprising him and herself as she ran her fingers through his hair. Edmund felt his control slip and his eyes drifted shut in bliss. "No fair..." he muttered.

Natalie simply smiled in response, inwardly surprised at the power she seemed to suddenly have over him, something to log in the back of her mind for later usage. "You need a hair cut," she said instead. "It looks much better on you short," she added.

"Are you saying I'm _handsome_?" Edmund grinned, his eyes still closed and his head lulling slightly. "I mean,_ I _know I'm... devilishly good-looking, but I'd never thought... I'd hear _you_ say it..." he teased almost sleepily. Natalie grinned, likening him to a cat almost, and she wondered if she could get him to fall asleep or even start purring.

"I'm saying you look better with shorter hair, of course _anything_to help..." Natalie teased back.

"I'm wounded!" Edmund laughed. He opened his eyes from the bliss that had overtaken him from her caress, and looked up at the strands of hair that fell over his eyes. He nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right though, it is starting to get a bit irritating... not unlike you," he grinned. "Ow!" he winced when she punched his arm rather hard. "Watch it woman, that's my sword arm," he smiled. Truthfully, he was surprised by how strong she had become in just a few days, all the endurance training had been starting to yield results!

"They're _both _your sword arms," she reminded him.

"Very true," Edmund grinned. "It still hurt though..." he rubbed his arm. It didn't hurt _that _much, he was just not ready for it and it took him off guard.

"Don't be such a baby," she said, smiling affectionately. She too was surprised that he was being truthful. While she has never thought of herself as weak, per se, she knew she was nowhere near capable of being in a fight, she had been too skinny, some would say she had looked too frail even, but since being here over a month, even though she just started doing real exercise, she had begun to notice changes within her. She was no longer out of breath from a simple hike, even if a jog through a frosty beach left her without said breath. It was the weather though, honest! She was even finally able to lift a sword just a little easier now with her training, though it had only been a few days since she started strength-training. She also knew that it would take a lot longer to be able to use it like her friends could, but at least there was promise in the air now.

While she still had the nerve, Natalie reached back again and caressed the nape of his neck this time, once more making his eyes drift closed. If it weren't for the swords still between them, she was almost certain he would have tipped forward already. If his enemies every caught this weak side of him, they could probably defeat him pretty easily! Natalie shook her head in amusement. She shifted slightly, pulling her sword back and was surprised that he hadn't noticed her movements, this gave her an idea.

When Edmund finally _did _open his eyes next, he was surprised when she was not in front of him anymore. He looked around and blinked in confusion. How had she managed to slip passed him without him noticing? "Hey!" He turned to see her smiling at him, giving him an innocent look.

"What? I just _took advantage _of your distraction," she grinned. "Careful you don't let your enemies know how to distract you!" she teased.

"Oh I doubt they could get close enough to get me distracted," he smirked smugly.

"But I can?" Natalie lifted her brow.

"Of course! It's not every day your opponent is a pretty girl," he smiled.

"You mean beautiful woman?" she countered.

"My apologies, you're right. It's not every day a beautiful woman manages to distract you right out of your element," Edmund corrected softly.

Natalie flushed scarlet and smiled. "...Why thank you, good sir," she answered. She cleared her throat, refocusing herself. "I'll try to use that to my advantage..." she said playfully.

"Don't you mean, you'll try _not _to use that to your advantage?" He questioned.

"Nope," Natalie grinned. "Come on, let's go see if Caspian knows where you can get a hair cut," she said, surprising him again by taking his hand and dragging him toward the archery range. Edmund let himself be pulled along. Neither of them mentioned the shock that spread through them as soon as their fingers touched. Natalie let him go quickly when their friends turned toward them, already missing the contact.

"That didn't take long, you two done with your training already?" Lucy asked curiously, she and Caspian having completely missed their recent interaction.

"Nope," Natalie shook her head.

"Then what did you need?" Caspian was slightly confused when his friends asked for someone to cut Edmund's hair, but then not everyone could make long hair work like he did, so he of course obliged his friends. "My tailor will be able to do so, I will have someone fetch him," he told them. The group followed him, thanking the servant that held towels out for them. Once in the castle, he led them to a room near the baths where a fawn was sweeping the floor. "Trolmus here is the one who's been keeping my beard looking as nice as you see it," Caspian nodded toward his fawn friend. He told them how much of a spectacle it was when Caspian introduced Narnians to his court, surprising his Telmarine brethren who were still uneasy around them, though after a few years since the revolution, they had been far more easy to convince.

"How may I help you today, sire?" Trolmus asked curiously, putting his broom away.

"King Edmund needs a hair cut, if you're not busy, would you mind?" he asked. It was known to everyone how considerate and kind Caspian was to his subject. No one but his old friend Cornelius knew that he based his way of ruling on the old tales of the Kings and Queens. Caspian tried to follow Peter's example of ruling over his country with a respectful and gentle hand, never treating anyone lower than he was. In fact, all four siblings treated everyone like that, with kindness and friendliness. It was something that stayed with Caspian since he first read about them, so many years ago as a small boy with his mother.

"Not at all, sire!" The fawn turned toward the younger man. "Your majesty," Trolmus bowed to Edmund. "If you'll just have a seat over here, we can get started," the fawn smiled. Edmund nodded and went over to the chair, giving Natalie an almost apprehensive look. Natalie grinned and put her thumbs up. Edmund rolled his eyes but sat down and stayed still as Trolmus grabbed his scissors.

After a few snips, Edmund squirmed slightly. "Ed, sit still!" Lucy giggled. "You're behaving worse than when mum would cut your hair!" she mentioned.

"I just don't see why _all of you _have to be in here for this..." Edmund mumbled.

"Because we can," Caspian shrugged.

It took a few moments, but once the tailor had finished, he stood back and presented Edmund to the three. "Do I look ridiculous?" He asked, patting his nearly cropped messy hair. "I mean, not to say that you didn't do a good job or anything," he quickly added, giving the fawn an apologetic smile.

"No offense taken, sire," Trolmus smiled reassuringly.

"No, not at all, you look..." Natalie paused and titled her head. His hair was shorter than before, but not so short that she had nothing to run her fingers through if she were ever brave enough to do so again. His hair was modestly cut with a few strands brushing along his forehead, no longer in his eyes but still giving him a roguish look. "_Good_!" Natalie finally said with a shy smile.

"Well if _you _approve, then I _must_ look okay," Edmund grinned.

"Now all you need is some facial hair," Natalie grinned back.

"Let's not get carried away," the Just King smiled. It wasn't that he was against it, it was just that he wasn't used to the idea of sporting facial hair. Not to mention how itchy it must be. He had just started having to use a shaving blade recently, he wasn't sure what he would look like if he let it grow.

"He's been trying to get facial hair since he was ten," Lucy teased.

"Hey, I'll have you know I have to shave in the mornings now," Edmund countered.

"Liar," Caspian smirked. "I believe one needs to be out of puberty to acquire facial hair, yes?" he chipped in. Both Lucy and the older King began to guffaw without restraint, bending over with their faces red. Natalie held in her own laugh, her own face turning red from the effort as she patted Edmund's arm reassuringly. For his part, Edmund didn't look as upset as they would have expected.

"Is that why you struggled so hard to get yours, Caspian? And let me ask you this, where is your wife? Girlfriend? Oh, that's right, your fake beard isn't fooling anyone," Edmund sneered, crossing his arm. By then, the tailor had excused himself and left, shaking his head in disbelief at his sovereigns.

"Girl... friend? Oh, you mean courting a Lady? And hey! My beard is not fake!" Caspian retaliated, stroking his beard as if to reassure _it._

"There there, Caspian," Lucy grinned.

"I don't see women flocking to you either, _Just _King..." Caspian shot out.

"That's because I have to keep them away," Edmund's chest puffed out proudly. "I'll have you know a lot of women tried to court me in my time."

"Did you not once say those women annoyed you? Now you're acting all high and mighty about it! At least I was able to charm the women that went up to me!" Caspian retorted. Lucy and Natalie felt like they were at a tennis match at this point.

"Who said I wasn't charming? I'm plenty charming!" Edmund half-mock-glared.

"Boys _boys! _Enough already! The testosterone level in this room is reaching its limits!" Natalie said in exasperation. "_Anyway_, we should probably get back to training, right?" She questioned.

"She's right," Edmund nodded. "Come on, Nat, I believe you and I have some jogging to finish," he grinned.

"Oh... why did I say anything?" Natalie sighed, smiling fondly when she made her friends laugh.

They bid their friends good bye, intentionally missing the knowing looks the two gave them, and left for the beach once more. As they jogged on the now slightly warmer beach, silence descended upon them once more, as it always did when they were alone. This time though, it was not an awkward _or_ a companionable silence. It was merely a silence of concentration. Edmund tried to concentrate of his running, and tried not notice that it was getting harder for him to stay distant from the girl running next to him. He didn't want to scare her away again but it was getting difficult to control himself and he feared that if things continued to be this tense between them, his control would snap any day now.

Natalie thought very similarly. She had never found it so difficult to stay away from someone like she did with Edmund. He was on her mind daily now. She wasn't stupid, she knew she had something like a crush for him, though she refused to believe it was anything more. All the same, it had been becoming increasingly difficult to keep him at arm's length, even more so now that she was sure he felt the same. She knew he felt the same because otherwise, he would not take every opportunity to torment her the way he was, getting up real close to her, and let's not forget the almost-kiss from a few days ago! ...Unless he was just cruel that way? Which she highly doubted.

Not to mention, if Edmund didn't feel the same way, he wouldn't be using every excuse to touch her either. Natalie had not missed him brush against her in the hall way 'accidentally', or bump her fingers with his when handing her something, brushing his thumb against her's when he handed her a sword, or place his hands on her when showing her how to move a certain way, things like that. So what was she to do? The more she did it, the more she felt overwhelmed by it, like something inside her was coiling up, getting ready to snap. But if she tried to push him away again, she was sure he would not respect her decision again. He would not take no for an answer again. And it wasn't like she was planning on pushing him away anymore anyway...

So now what?

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I had little to no plan for this chapter, I must have written two sentences or something for the chapter outline! I don't know how I missed it. I find it amusing how impatient some of you are lol, don't worry, they'll stop beating around the bush soon! XD

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	21. Chapter 20

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie and Orecar

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"Ow..." Natalie groaned as she woke that morning, aches and pains from all the exercises Edmund had been putting her through taking their toll. She got out of bed with a weary sigh, shivering from the cold and wobbled over to her wash basin in the little alcove that served as a bathroom. What she wouldn't give for a hot bath that morning, maybe she could get one later though, it would certainly do her aching muscles and joints some good. If she had known training to use a sword would entail this much physical strain... ah who was she kidding, she probably would have done it anyway! She was certainly not one to give up on anything! She had worked hard to get where she was in life, even if it was stressful, boring, and life-sucking. At sixteen she left the home she had been placed with, leaving behind those awful people that used her as a payday and meal ticket, and became independent. She would not let a bit of _healthy pain _get in the way of something to better herself!

Edmund Pevensie did _not _like snow and he did _not _like cold. Too many bad memories were associated with it. He glared out his window as soft flakes of snow gently drifted from the gray clouds. Wasn't it too soon for there to be snow? It was barely fall and yet it looked like a veritable snow storm out there! He shook his head and sighed, making his way out to greet his sister and Natalie. "G'morning, Lu," he muttered, flicking a piece of lint from his dark red and silver tunic.

"Good morning! Did you see? It's snowing outside! Isn't that wonderful? I love the snow! ...What's wrong? Why do you look so upset?" Lucy frowned in concern.

"Don't like snow," Edmund shrugged.

"Why n-" Lucy paused and thought for a moment. "Oh, right, I'm sorry," she smiled apologetically.

"No, it's fine, it's something I need to deal with anyway," Edmund sighed. "Come on," he led his sister to Natalie's door and knocked.

Natalie had just finished taming her wavy hair when the knock startled her out of her thoughts. With all the snow falling outside she wondered if her friends would be willing to go out of build snowmen or even an igloo with her. She seemed to recall trying to build one with her brother, but it was so long ago and they only tried it once. She walked over and greeted her friends, trying very hard not to smile shyly at Edmund. Fortunately, the cold weather must have hardened her facial muscles so the smile she gave him was a bit stiff rather than small and shy.

"You okay, Nat? You look like you've just been hit in the face?" Edmund asked with wide eyes.

'Well, maybe I should have tried a little harder to smile normally,' Natalie thought in amusement. "I'm fine, just a bit stiff," she shrugged.

"Nat! It's snowing outside!" Lucy greeted her excitedly, hoping her friend would be in a better mood about it.

"I saw! Could be why it's so cold today," the older girl answered playfully.

"Nah, that's just your imagination," Edmund smiled. The three were surprised when Caspian met them in the hallway that morning. "Caspian, what are you doing here?"

"It's my castle, is it not? What? I can't come greet my friends?" The older man asked mirthfully. "And good morning to you too..."

"Good morning, Caspian!" Lucy smiled. "It's snowing outside!" she gushed.

"Lu, I'm pretty sure everyone knows the current weather conditions today," Edmund rolled his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so excited! I want to go out and play in the snow!" Lucy said, a bounce in her step.

"Hey that sounds like a great idea! We should all go," Natalie suggested, glad she didn't have to be the one to suggest it. Her friends gave her an odd look and she frowned at them. "What?"

"No, it's just that you don't strike me as the go out and play in the snow type..." Caspian answered with a shrug. "It does sound like an interesting thing to do though," he smiled. "I have a meeting with my adviser before lunch but I could go for a snow-ball fight," he told them.

"How _is_ Basil?" Lucy asked.

"I think I'm giving him gray hairs," Caspian chuckled.

"Can we pick up the pace? I'm starving," Edmund grumbled.

"_Someone_ needs their morning coffee," Lucy grinned.

"And so do I!" Natalie chimed in. Once everyone had their coffee and food, Edmund confided in his friends about his worry over the weather, bringing up what that man they had caught during the fight against Calormen had said. The man had said to fear the cold or something along those lines.

"I'm sure it's coincidence, it's not uncommon here for it to snow during the fall," Caspian assured him.

"I hope you're right..." Edmund sighed.

"Come on! Let's go out!" Lucy said, standing to her feet and grinning excitedly.

"Right, because gallivanting in the snow will ease my worry," Edmund rolled his eyes.

"It will if you let it!" Lucy resisted the urge to stomp her foot. "You're not going to make us train instead, are you?" she pouted to him. This always worked with Peter but only rarely with Edmund. She could usually tell if it worked on him because his shoulders would slump, he would roll his eyes and groan.

"_You're_ not the one I'm training, you know," Edmund raised a brow.

"I know that, but Natalie is my friend and _we _want to go out and play in the snow, and if you take _her _away, _we _won't be able to go out and have fun! Pretty please?" She begged, sticking her bottom lip out and putting on her puppy-dog eyes. The familiar signals that Lucy won her argument played out and she clapped her hands in excitement. "Thank you!" she gushed, taking Natalie by the hand and almost literally dragging her out of her seat.

"I have legs you know!" Natalie called as she was pulled down toward the great hall.

"Hey! Wait for us! We're not going to let you have all the fun!" Caspian said, standing and pushing a reluctant Edmund out the door. They took horses from the stables, making sure to brush them well before placing the blankets beneath their saddles, and rode out just outside of the village. They spent a few hours Natalie showing them the best way to build a snow-man, making snow angels, and having a snow-ball war with the girls against the boys. By the time they got back, they were drenched and shivering, but all the same they were laughing and joyful.

They split up to go change. A bit later, Edmund found Natalie sitting by the fireplace in the library, warming her hands. He went over and sat next to her, smiling at her in greeting. "You okay?" He asked, noticing that she was still shaking slightly. "You still cold?" It was rather pleasant in the room, the nice big fire heating up the couch and stones near it. It was warm, so Natalie shouldn't still be trembling the way she was.

"Mmhm," Natalie nodded and smiled when he placed a hand over her forehead. "I'm not sick though," she informed him, blushing.

"Then why are you blushing?" He asked in amusement.

"You're making me blush..." She admitted softly. 'I can't believe I just said that!' She thought frantically. What was she thinking? The cat was out of the bag now! But maybe this was for the best?

"Am I now?" He smirked. "What do I do to make you blush?" he asked, grinning toothily when she refused to give anything else away. "You still look a bit cold..." Natalie stiffened slightly when he scooted closer to her and slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her a bit closer to him. "There. Warmer?" He asked with a smile, rubbing her arm.

"Y-Yeah..." Natalie couldn't look at him, just tried to focus on the spark and crackle of the embers in the hearth before them.

"Hey," he placed is index finger on her jaw, nudging her slightly to look at him. Natalie sighed inwardly, letting herself go, and allowed him to move her, finally looking up at him. His eyes captured her's and it was everything Natalie could do to keep breathing.

"Ed?" She questioned softly, her eyes getting lost in the intensity of his gaze. Natalie bit her lip as he leaned forward, his breath on her cheek as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face.

"Have I ever told you that you have amazingly beautiful eyes?" Edmund whispered.

"Thanks..." Natalie answered quietly. Looking at him so close she saw the clear desire in his eyes. His fingers brushed her cheek, dragging gently down her neck to take a soft hold to the back of her neck, his other hand cupping her other cheek. She held her breath, trying and failing to still her racing heart.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything?" Natalie and Edmund pulled away to look at a grinning Caspian.

"What do you want, Caspian?" Edmund asked in irritation, making Natalie blush as he was clearly upset about 'them' being 'interrupted' from whatever was going to happen.

"Just thought I'd let you know that Mary made some hot chocolate for us, if you're interested..." He explained, the grin never leaving his face.

"Who's Mary?" Natalie questioned, trying to ignore the irritation and intensity coming off the boy that sat next to her.

"The head cook, you didn't know?" Caspian tilted his head.

"Thank you, Caspian, we'll be sure to join you shortly," Edmund said, dismissing his friend.

"Alright, I know when I'm not wanted," Caspian chuckled and finally left them in piece.

"We should-um, go and join them..." Natalie stood to her feet, trying to calm her wildly beating heart. Edmund shot to his feet after her.

"Natalie, wait," Edmund began.

"Come on, we shouldn't keep them waiting..." Natalie said lamely, using it as an excuse to escape him.

"Not this time," Edmund all but growled.

Suddenly Natalie felt him latch onto her wrist and pull her back toward him. The next thing she knew, she was getting pressed flush against him and his lips were on her's. Natalie struggled for a second, completely shocked by the turn of events. His lips were just as soft as she imagined them to be, coaxing her to respond to him as they tenderly moved against her. Natalie felt herself relax and melt against him, her shoulders slumping in defeat as he conquered he completely with the simplest touch. Even though she had never kissed a boy before, she tried to follow his example, even if it was a clumsy attempt. It was a slow and chaste kiss, but that didn't mean it wasn't full of emotion, full of meaning.

Edmund pulled away reluctantly a few moments later, but not all the way, his lips still brushing against her's feather-lightly, his thumb stroking her cheekbone. "You okay?" he asked in a whisper. Natalie could only nod in response, too overwhelmed by what just happened. So close to him, she breathed in his scent and felt her head get foggy with an odd sort of intoxication at his mere presence. As he pulled back a bit more, she found herself unable to meet his gaze. Edmund smiled and tilted her chin up to look at him. "You don't have to be afraid of losing me, you know... I'm not going anywhere," he promised. "Please don't run away again..." he very nearly begged.

Natalie found her voice once more and smiled shyly at him. She took her own hand and stroked his jaw affectionately, tracing the contours of his face for a few moments and watching his eyes flutter as they tried to stay open at her ministrations. "I'm not going to run," she promised him, and made to pull away. Edmund released his hold on her, watching her step back from him and tuck her head behind her ear. It was the cutest thing he'd seen her do yet, so that was why Lucy did it all the time around boys? "I'll see you at lunch..." she told him, walking backwards with a smile on her face a bit before turning and exiting the room.

"Hey, Nat! I was just coming to get you," Lucy greeted her just outside of the library. Natalie blushed, glad for the younger girl's timing. It would have been more than a little awkward if she had walked in when... whatever just happened was going on.

"Um, hi, Lu..." Natalie greeted.

"Here you go!" Lucy handed her friend a mug of hot cocoa as they made their way to their rooms to wash up before lunch. "You okay? You look a bit flushed, are you getting sick?" she asked worriedly.

"No, not getting sick," Natalie shook her head. She idly wondered why people kept asking if she was sick.

"So why do you _look _sick?" Lucy asked teasingly.

"It could be because," Natalie paused and glanced behind her, seeing Edmund head in another direction. "Edmund..."

"Yes?" Lucy leaned in, waiting for an answer, intrigued that her blushing had something to do with her brother... though it usually did _anyway_. "What was that? I'm sorry, you'll have to speak up, I don't understand mumble," the younger girl grinned.

"Edmund kissed me..." Natalie admitted quietly. Her eyes widened and she shot her hand forward to cover Lucy's mouth as the girl squealed loudly. "Shh!" Natalie shushed her.

"Sorry..." Was Lucy's muffled apology and sheepish smile. "So you finally let him in, huh?" Lucy said once Natalie removed her hand, beaming happily. "Are you okay though?" She asked. Natalie gave her a confused look, so she explained. "I know you don't like getting too close to anyone..."

"Oh, right. I actually... decided not to worry about that so much anymore. Besides, he's kind of... irrevocably 'in' now..." Natalie nodded slowly, wincing and glaring when the girl let out another squeal of joy. "But don't tell him that or he'll just become impossible," she added with a faint smile.

"Agreed!" Lucy laughed. "Oh this is wonderful!"

"Don't get carried away..." Natalie shook her head incredulously at the girl's jubilation.

"So tell me, what _exactly _are your feelings toward my brother?" She asked, a huge grin lighting up her face.

Natalie rolled her eyes at her exuberance but had to smile. "Well, to tell you the truth... I'm not one hundred percent exactly... I'm not completely... well the thing is-"

"Nat!" Lucy exasperated.

"I'm not sure," Natalie admitted. "I mean, I guess I _like _him."

"How much?" Lucy raised her brow.

"Uh, well let's see, I think he's... um... _attractive,_" she blushed. 'Attractive doesn't quite do him justice though, does it? Sexy, hot, roguishly good-looking, and other synonyms might work. He makes my heart go crazy and sometimes even just catching that look of utter concentration on me when he thinks I don't know makes my throat go dry. Not to mention one hell of a great kisser! But I'm not about to tell his little sister all of that, no matter how good friends we are!' she thought, shaking her head inwardly. "And I suppose he's charming and funny, and fun to be around..." Natalie trailed off, frowning thoughtfully. Okay, so maybe she really _really _liked him...

"I see," Lucy smiled knowingly, but said no more. Even with the bit her friend admitted, she had a good feeling that Natalie liked her brother much more than she admitted even to herself.

When Natalie returned to her room, she found a bath drawn for her. 'Awesome! I wonder who prepared this for me?' She wondered. When she got close to the bath tub, she found a single white flower laying near it, very similar to the flowers by the bench that she had sat a few times with Edmund on. 'Oh dear...' she covered her face, trying to hide her smile. Which really, was ridiculous, she was _alone _in her room after all! As Natalie took her bath, her mind kept taking her to that moment in the library. At this point, she wondered if she would _ever _stop blushing or if her heart would ever slow down. "So that's what I've been missing?" She mumbled aloud before sinking into her bath.

She finished her bath a lot quicker than she would have liked, and by the time it took for Lucy to exit her room, she figured she was taking a bath as well. "So are you going to tell him how you feel?" Lucy asked excitedly.

"Not so fast, I don't even know how _I _feel yet! And aren't we supposed to be worried about another attack from Calormen or something?" Natalie countered, though she knew she was just making excuses now.

"Caspian will receive an answer from the Calormen council today or tomorrow. And you're avoiding the issue!" Lucy stomped her foot.

"You won't get your way every time you know," Natalie smiled in amusement.

"Just... don't bar away things that could be good for you, okay?" Lucy insisted.

"Yes, mother..." Natalie rolled her eyes, smiling softly. Natalie was unable to meet anyone's gaze as she and Lucy walked in, and especially avoided Edmund's.

Caspian noticed this and leaned in to whisper at his old friend. "So what did you do this time?" The older man asked with a raised brow, his eyes crinkling in amusement.

"I didn't _do _anyth-... well actually..." Edmund paused. He _did _do something, in fact.

"Well what?" The Caspian probed.

The young King rolled his eyes. "I... sort of kissed her," he shrugged.

"What?" Caspian jerked back, not having expected that answer, and so direct too!

"What are you boys talking about?" Lucy asked as she and Natalie reached them.

"Edmund just told me that-" Caspian winced when he felt a sharp kick strike his shin. "...-He won't be training anyone today?" He corrected himself with a half-hearted glare to his friend.

"Right," Edmund nodded, rolling his eyes. "Because of the weather," he added. "Even though you _should _train still, get used to fighting in all sorts of conditions," he said. He was surprised when Natalie gave him a warning look, a look that almost seemed to tell him that if he ever wanted to kiss her again, he better not make her train in blisteringly cold weather conditions. "Of course, we don't _have _to train either... not today," he amended with a sheepish smile.

Caspian snorted in amusement. "You are wrapped around her finger, my friend," he chuckled.

"I am not!" Edmund denied.

"I think you might be right, Caspian," Natalie said, surprising everyone, including herself, with her boldness. Lucy giggled and Caspian slapped his knee in amusement.

This time, it was Edmund who gave _her _a warning look. _His _expression though, made her blush. His eyes told her that there would be retribution for that. Natalie felt her heart flutter and a shiver run up her spine, wondering what he had planned to get her back. She forced herself to calm down and tilted her chin up, giving him a challenging look. Edmund raised a brow at her defiance and grinned slyly. Natalie saw him smirk almost smugly, accepting her challenge, as if saying she couldn't handle him. So, he wanted to play that way, did he? Well two could play at that game... if he thought he could get to her then he was about to get a run for his money!

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: About DAMN time, right? Aww and it only took them TWENTY(ONE?) CHAPTERS to actually kiss! XD Well, technically less, but whatever! See? Isn't waiting for it so much better? Now I actually had the lot of you cheering for it! If I had them actually interact this way in the beginning, you'd all be like "meh, whatever", but now that you actually had to wait for it, and you witnessed the character development and build up to this moment, you're actually feeling something toward it! ...That's what I'm hoping happened anyway lol. I wonder what Natalie is plotting? R&R!

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**Guest**: Lol you're right! The third time's, or actually tenchincally fourth time's the charm! XD

**OlleiPattson**: What about Edmund and the hair thing?


	22. Chapter 21

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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After lunch, Natalie pulled Lucy to the library with her, deciding she needed some girl time with her friend. Lucy didn't complain of course, but you could tell that Edmund had wanted to talk about what happened and gave them an irritated look as they walked out. Natalie spent the rest of the day getting reassurance from her friend and working up the nerve to face Edmund again after the kiss. She knew that it wasn't a one time deal and she knew that his response to her embarrassing him would be swift. He wasn't the type to dawdle after all. The problem was, even though she _enjoyed_ the kiss, she not only didn't exactly know how to kiss, not well anyway, she also wasn't sure if she got a hold of her tendency to panic and avoid people yet... in fact, one could call what she was doing now as avoidance!

Natalie stood by her mirror that next morning, staring at her reflection. She had gained a bit of healthy weight since she got here a month ago. She no longer looked scrawny and pale. She had developed a nice tan from the walks and horse-rides. She even gained a bit of muscle from her training with Lucy and Edmund! Over all, with a nice figure and long, wavy auburn hair and piercing green eyes, she looked pretty good! Feeling confidence in herself, she nodded at her reflection and swept through the room to the door. Today was the day that she would show Edmund that she could, in fact, 'resist' him. She knew that was what that look he gave her was and she wouldn't let him 'catch' her that easily!

"Good morning, Nat!" Lucy greeted as cheerfully as ever. This time Caspian was there too, chatting with Edmund as they waited.

"Morning, 'Lu," Natalie smiled.

"Hello there, Crow!" Caspian beamed.

"Lech," Natalie nodded. She turned to the other male, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Ed," she nodded once more in greeting and smiled at the Just King.

"Nat," Edmund greeted back, a crooked smile showing only partial toothiness.

'Oh he's good...' Natalie shook her head inwardly. He knew that she liked it when he smiled like a goof-ball. 'Two can play at that game!' While they walked over to the dining hall, she made sure to brush his hand along his slowly as she walked passed him. Ignoring her wildly beating heart at her boldness, she look back and gave him a half-lidded smile, having seen something like this in a movie once upon a time. She received the desired effect. Edmund's eyes widened and a blush tainted his cheeks. She looked away with a secretive smile.

"Can we cut the flirting down a bit until after we have breakfast? You two are making me lose my appetite!" Caspian joked, chuckling when his friend both jerked their heads to look forward and had identical blushes on their faces. During said breakfast, Natalie could feel Edmund's eyes on her every now and then when there was a pause in conversation, but she resolutely refused to look at him. Instead, she pretended nothing was out of the ordinary and ate her breakfast peacefully, laughing in all the appropriate places and adding her two cents when needed. She wasn't doing this to avoid him, she was doing this to prove a point. She was, however, aware that she could only keep this up for so long. Sooner or later, Edmund would take matters into his own hands and probably pay her back. She just hoped by then she would be prepared!

After breakfast, Natalie had no chance to 'avoid' Edmund this time. She jumped when she heard him right behind her, his voice basically right by her ear. Spinning around, she almost knocked into him again but was this time able to catch herself on time. She blushed as he spoke. "Since the weather is still kind of difficult, I decided that today we will train in the barracks, is that okay with you?" He lifted a brow, challenging her.

"Sounds good to me," Natalie smiled, kicking herself for reacting the way she did. 'I need to be stronger!'

"Good... Lucy, you and Caspian go practice with your bows or play chess or something, okay? I want Natalie to concentrate on her training today..." The Just King said, placing a hand on Natalie's shoulder and directing her toward the door.

"Right, because concentration is exactly what you two are going to be achieving," Lucy mumbled, letting only Caspian hear – who promptly laughed out loud.

"What was that?" Edmund turned to frown suspiciously at his sister.

"Oh nothing! I was just hoping you guys have a good training session!" Lucy smiled innocently.

When they got to the barracks, they found it empty. "Ah, perfect, no distractions," Edmund smiled, walking over to the training swords. Natalie narrowed her eyes as he moved about the room collecting what they needed to train with. He was acting like normal now, handing her a sword and directing her into her base pose. "Today I'm going to show you a technique that has saved me a few times," he instructed, having her move in a specific way that left her feeling like she was doing Tai Chi, with wide arm movements, sweeping movements, and dance like steps.

"Ah!" Natalie gasped as the step made her stumble forward. She caught herself and glared at her feet.

"The problem is, you're not using correct balance. You need to spread your legs out more and turn your body with your feet as you move. Here, like this," Edmund walked over to her, smiling enigmatically before slipping behind her and placing one hand on her waist, and the other on the arm she had been using to 'attack' with. Natalie felt her blush reach her neck as he pulled her flush against him. "Ready?" He whispered in her ear. It was as if she had cottonballs in her throat all of a sudden. A simple nod was the best she could get out and soon he was puppeting her body the way he wanted her to move.

'Concentrate on the movements, concentrate on the movements, con-' Natalie's thoughts were cut off when his hand on her waist slid over onto her stomach suggestively, before moving back.

"Just like that, do you have it down now?" He asked, relinquishing his hold on her and stepping back.

"..." She didn't have a family history of tachycardia, did she? Natalie scolded herself inwardly for letting him wrack her nerves like that. "Yes, I think so," She told him, turning to narrow her eyes at his knowing smile.

"Good, let's see it," He smiled, crossing his arms and nodding for her to proceed. Natalie rolled her eyes and did as he asked, using her sword to guide her movements in a slow but precise formation. "Nicely done!" Edmund nodded. 'It took me a few days to master that one, you really are a quick learner!" He grinned. They trained a bit more without crossing any barriers, though the looks they gave each other were not missed.

By the time lunch time came along, Natalie was sure he was planning something. The moment they stepped into the hallway leading back through the castle toward the dining hall, Natalie found herself blocked by him. "Yes?" She raised her brow. She bit her lip when he smiled and walked toward her, real close, making her back up until her back was pressed against the wall. "Can I... help you?" Natalie asked quietly.

"You really embarrassed me the other day..." He smiled half-liddedly.

"I'm sorry?" Natalie smiled, ignoring her blush.

"Hm, that's not going to cut it," he shook his head, placing his hands on either side of her, trapping her there.

"So what do you want?" She asked innocently, shuddering when his eyes darkened slightly. She watched him wet his lips and felt her pulse quicken.

Edmund leaned in closer to her, his eyes intently on her's as his nose brushed against her's, their lips mere centimeters apart, their breaths mingling on each other's lips. "As payment, all I ask for is a kiss," He whispered, 'invading' her personal space a bit more by pressing in further. Natalie felt her eyes flutter as he drew closer still.

"I..." Natalie was at loss for words, feeling almost magnetically attracted to him and unable to resist him as their lips just barely touched. The moment was ruined though, when a servant suddenly spoke somewhere nearby, a blush evident in her voice.

"I-I am sorry, my Lord, my Lady..." The two parted to look over at the embarrassed maid. "L-Lord Caspian and Lady Lucy are waiting for you at the dining hall..." she said, averting her eyes from them. Edmund blinked when he suddenly spotted Natalie near the servant.

'How the heck does she always manage to slip from my grasp so easily?' He wondered and narrowed his eyes at her innocent smile. "Thank you, you may go," he told the servant, nodding to her as she bowed. Natalie walked ahead of him, following the servant down the hall and feeling Edmund's eyes on her once more.

Edmund was like a coil about to spring and was just waiting for the opportunity. The servant wasn't going to the dining hall, he recognized her as one of the chambermaids, so he just had to wait until she took another hall way. Natalie had just started warming up to his affections toward her and he wasn't about to let her regress and avoid him again! She gave him no indication that she didn't want this, so why not play a little? He smiled as the maid predictably turned down another hall and grinned when Natalie ran off sprinting down the hall. 'Is that how you want it? Very well... cat and mouse it is...' Edmund took off after her. Natalie laughed as Edmund chased her. Never in her life would she have imagined in a month she would be being chased down a hall by an attractive boy and she would be laughing and enjoying the chase.

"So what did the Calormen informant say?" Lucy asked as she and Caspian waited for their friends to get there.

"Strangely enough, he said no one knew what happened, and I mean _no one_ knew. It was as if the men were unaware of what they were doing themselves," Caspian shook his head. "I do not understand it," he sighed. Suddenly, they looked up as the dining hall door burst open and Natalie ran in. "Natalie?" Caspian questioned, surprised at the sight.

"Hey Caspian! Hey Lucy!" Natalie greeted as she shot toward her seat and sat down quickly. Brushing her hair out of her face and trying to hide her blush.

"What's going on?" The older member of the group asked in confusion, then caught Edmund running in a few seconds later. Edmund slowed to a walk and ran a hand through his own hair before he straightened his clothes and quietly sat down at his seat.

"Nothing's going on, we're just starving, that's all!" Natalie said quickly, giving Edmund an amused look. Edmund smirked and nodded in agreement. Caspian rolled his eyes, figuring they hadn't been concentrating as Lucy had predicted. Who knew what they were doing! By the smiles and blushes though, it must not have been very bad though! 'That was close...' Natalie sighed inwardly. She never thought she would have so much fun avoiding someone. She liked keeping Edmund at arm's length, it just made it all the better when he finally _did _catch her... she wondered what he would do the next time he caught her though... the thought made her shiver pleasantly.

She still couldn't believe how easily this was coming to her now. Not long ago she wouldn't have even been able to tolerate having another friend, too worried about something bad happening. Now look at her? She had several friends and was actively flirting with one of them! This place surely must have been divine or magical or something to get her to change so much, so quickly!

"...Alright then," Caspian smirked. "Anyway, as I was telling Lucy, the informant returned from Calormen. No one knows what happened and there was no official declaration of war, no intended break in the treaty, and Archenland knew nothing about this," he told them.

"That's so strange," Edmund frowned. "So we're not at war with them then?"

"Not as far as their council is concerned. Right now they're just trying to concentrate on getting their former Tisroc's very young son to step up his lessons so he can take over as heir to the throne. It's a messy situation there," he sighed.

"Are they calling for aid?" Edmund's frown deepened.

"No, fortunately they understand that we would be reluctant and suspicious about them so they told us not to worry about it," Caspian responded.

"So, what _were _you two doing?" Lucy asked, changing the subject before the room was loaded down with any more bad vibes.

"Training," Edmund said behind his goblet.

"Really?" Lucy smiled, an unconvinced look in her eyes.

"That's right, what else could we have been doing?" Natalie countered, though she was unable to keep from blushing once again and his her face behind her own cup. She sighed inwardly, wondering why her friends were so snoopy! "You're _more _than welcome to train with us next time," she smiled innocently at Edmund's narrowed eyes. She wasn't avoiding him, _really_, she wasn't! This was far too much fun to avoid now... but she _did _want to keep him on his toes, just for now at least.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Tsk tsk, Natalie and Edmund are being bad! Hahaha and you thought the tension was over! XD Even as I had to deal with a trojan (refirect) virus on my computer, do a factory reset and reinstall everything, I _still_ managed to update on time for you guys! :) I am going to be a little late updating the next chapter though, just so you know, don't panic.

-Tachy means rapid, cardia means heartbeat. It's a condition one gets during certain circumstances, such as heart attacks.

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**narnias no.1fan**: Glad you like it!

**Guest**: Lol glad you like it. So are you ever going to sign in? :P J/K


	23. Chapter 22

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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It had been a few days since Natalie and Edmund started showing their feelings for each other a bit more. Natalie was starting to have a hard time resisting his advances, but she held him at bay. She knew he was getting more and more annoyed and frustrated by this, but she was too embarrassed to admit she had no experience with what he wanted, not even kissing! Just the thought made her nearly hyperventilate! Still, the more he got close to her, gave her innocent touches here and there, secret smiles, or stood a bit closer than necessary, the more difficult it was. Her pulse raced, her breathing became labored, and she nearly made her lip bleed with how much she seemed to be biting it these days. Sooner or later, _she_ would break too, and he _knew _it. Who was playing who now?

That morning, when she greeted her friends in the hall, she stood by Lucy's side, opposite to Edmund. Lucy blinked in confusion at how tense her brother and friend were, wondering what was going on this time. Whatever it was, she hoped it didn't interfere with her plans for the day. After breakfast that day, Lucy put her foot down, turning to her brother. "Today _I _am going to be the one training Natalie, alright?"

"What?" Edmund blinked. He saw the determination in his sister's eyes and rolled his own. "Fine, whatever," he shrugged. "I'll go with you, to help..." he winked at Natalie, who promply blushed.

"No, you won't. Natalie needs to concentrate and she won't be able to if you're around." Lucy smiled innocently at her friend.

"Hey!" Natalie's blush deepened, giving the younger girl an annoyed look.

Lucy ignored her. "Besides, we need some girl time away from you boys," she insisted.

"Hmm, maybe you're right, I do kind of distract her, don't I?" He grinned at Natalie, who half-heartedly glared at him. "Okay, as you wish," Edmund shrugged once more. "I need to see how well Caspian's men are trained anyway. From what I saw during the battle with the Calormen rebels, there is room for improvement."

"Perhaps it is you who needs the training, not my men," Caspian crossed his arms.

Edmund snorted. "Hah, unlikely!" His chest puffed out. "I'm the best there is!"

"Hubris doesn't become you," Caspian smirked.

Lucy and Natalie rolled their eyes at the pride-spat. "We'll see you boys later! Come on, Nat!" Lucy grabbed her friend's hand once more and again almost literally dragged her out of the room.

"Lu! I _can _walk! I think I mentioned this before!" Was Natalie's irritated voice down the hall.

When the girls reached the barracks, the soldiers were back, most of them training on something. One of them saw them and walked over, bowing deeply. "Queen Lucy, Lady Valentine, is there something we can help you with?"

"No, that's okay, I'm actually going to train Lady Valentine today," Lucy answered with a kind smile.

"Very good, my Queen, we will be sure to stay out of your way," He bowed.

"Oh it's no trouble!"

"Nonsense, my Lady, we are happy to help!" The men bowed to them and went to the far side of the room to train, leaving the women a monicker of privacy.

Lucy shook her head, sometimes wishing people would just treat her like everyone else but decided maybe this was best. These soldiers all had the possibility of falling in battle, if she made friends with them, it wouldn't do anyone any good. She already had to worry about Caspian, Edmund, Trumpkin, and a few others! Deciding to put the troubling thoughts from her mind, she turned to her friend with a knowing smile. "So you never told me, why the running into the dining hall the other day?" Lucy asked as she handed her older friend a bow.

"Huh?" Natalie frowned in confusion, but then she remembered how this all started. "Oh, right. I told you, we were really hungry..." Natalie refused to look at her as she grabbed some arrows.

"Is that so?" Lucy smirked.

"Yes, that _is so_..."

"Right," Lucy laughed. "So is it true you're courting my brother now?" she asked bluntly.

"What?" Natalie's eyes widened, spinning around to face her.

"Come on, you can't hide it from me. Caspian and I both know something is going on between you two! You've had feeling for each other for a while, you've admitted as much to me yourself, so spill it," she laughed.

"Well... not... well, sort of?" Natalie squirmed slightly, playing with her bow idly as she refused to look at her friend.

"What do you mean 'sort of', you're either courting him or not?"

Natalie sighed in defeat, not wanting to argue. "The thing is, I'm kind of playing 'hard to get'..."

"Stop, you're not!" Lucy laughed in amusement. "How positively hilarious!"

"I am," Natalie nodded.

"What ever for?" Lucy led Natalie over to the targets in the barracks, smiling at the men who bowed and backed away, letting them have some privacy.

"Edmund thinks he's irresistible, I'm trying to prove him wrong," Natalie lifted her chin up in pride.

"How is your plan working?"

"Not so well," Natalie's head ducked and she blushed.

"Are you saying he _is _irresistible to you?" Lucy grinned.

"I'm not telling you anything," Natalie huffed, crossing her arms and lifting her chin defiantly.

"Oh please, come now, tell me!" The younger girl begged. She unleashed her puppy-dog eyes.

"Alright alright, put those away," Natalie sighed. "Well, he knows what I'm doing, I think, and he's doing everything possible to ruin my plan..." she blushed.

"So why not just let him a little?"

"What do you mean?" Natalie frowned in confusion.

"Make him believe you're still in charge but let him take over just a bit!" Lucy's eyes twinkled. This was just like what she had read in those novels! It was so romantic!

"...I suppose that's not a completely bad idea..." Natalie blushed again.

"Good! Now, I wasn't lying when I said I wanted to train you in marksmanship, so let's begin!"

A few horrible minutes later, Natalie resisted throwing her bow to the floor and stomping on it. Not only would that be _incredibly _childish, it wasn't the _bow's _fault that she was so bad at it. "Honestly, Lucy, I really think I should stick to swords, I might just seriously injure myself or an ally with this one day! I think I'm better with blades," Natalie sighed, glaring at the bow in her hands. She simply could not hit the target. In fact, she hit everything _but _the target! She even made some of the troops who were training some ways away run out of the barracks in fear! ...Well okay, maybe they didn't run away and maybe they weren't afraid per se, but they did leave!

"Perhaps you're right... at least you're actually shooting off the arrow now and it comes sort of close to the target," Lucy smiled and shrugged. "Archery isn't for everyone. Personally, I'm a bit better with a blade myself, been training throwing daggers since I was little!" All the same, Lucy still tried to show Natalie how to shoot some more. About two hours went by and Natalie had enough. "Alright, how about this, how about we train with swords then? I may not be as skilled as my brother but I'm still pretty good if I do say so myself!"

"Sounds good to me," Natalie nodded.

"Here you are, my Lady" One of the soldiers near the training weapons rack handed her two wooden swords. He winked and smiled at her.

"Thank you," Natalie smiled back at him. He was a tall Telmarine with handsome features and a very strong build, but somehow, Natalie didn't find herself all that attracted to him. She wasn't an idiot, she knew why that was, and just the thought made her blush. Unfortunately, the soldier must have thought she was blushing because of _him_ and grinned 'charmingly' at her. "Um, see you..." Natalie responded awkwardly and walked back over to Lucy.

"I think he likes you," Lucy grinned.

"Shut up, Lucy..." Natalie mumbled with an embarrassed blush. The girls trained with swords for a couple more hours, Natalie surprising Lucy with what she had learned from Edmund.

"Wow! Looks like you two really _were _training! You're very good, Natalie! I bet a few more lessons and you'll be better than even me!" She laughed.

"Thanks, I- wait, what do you mean? What else did you think we were doing?"

"N-Nothing, you know, goofing around, things like that..." Lucy trailed off and blushed at being caught. "Err, come on, we should head back and get ready for supper..." Lucy took the swords back and ushered her friend out of the barracks.

"Hmm..." Natalie wasn't convinced by Lucy's answer, but she let it go and followed her out. Edmund was not at the dining table that night, having not finished training the army and inspecting the troops. Natalie was a bit disappointed, having wanted to maybe walk with him in the gardens or talk in the library. Instead, she turned in early, her mind on a certain King as she fell asleep.

The next day Natalie again steeled herself in front of them mirror. It might have looked funny, but it helped her determination to reassure herself like this. She decided Lucy was right though, why not give him a little in? It still scared her a bit, truthfully, but she was learning to deal with that insecure part of herself and enjoy life a little more.

She met her friends out in the hall as usual. As they walked down the hall, Lucy was regaling them about an incident that happened to her the night before. She had sworn she heard someone in her room, but looking about it turned out to only be one of the cats, hunting a wild rat. While Lucy told her story, Natalie was finding it difficult to concentrate. Edmund had apparently just come out of a bath, he was wearing a tight shirt that stuck to the every curve of his well toned physique and his hair was wet and tousled. It was like he did this on purpose! A smirk from him her way after he caught her _gawking _at him proved her right! Natalie resolutely refused to look at him for the duration of the walk and turned her attention back to Lucy.

"I swear I had never seen such a mangy looking animal! That rat must have come straight out of the sewers!" The young girl grimaced.

After avoiding looking at Edmund throughout breakfast, Natalie insisted she would be having no training from either of the siblings that day after watching them argue over who would train her that day. It was almost like they were playing tug-o-war with her as the rope! It wasn't because she didn't want to be with either of them, she was just sore and tired. "Today I'm going to relax, no running laps around the castle, no bruising myself or wearing myself out, got it? In fact, I'm going to go to the library for a bit, there was a book I saw the other day that looked interesting," she told them.

"I suppose I'll allow a day of rest..." Edmund smirked.

"Oh gee thank you you eminence!" Natalie faked a bow and rolled her eyes.

"What?" Edmund chuckled. "Your training _is _important to you, is it not? And if it's important to you, it's important to me... so yes, I am _allowing _you a break," he crossed his arms, giving her a challenging look.

"Whatever you say, Ed," Natalie smiled. "Thanks anyway."

Edmund nodded. "I was planning to head down to the library myself... read up on some strategy books and combat manuals, for the troops of course," he said.

"Oh, is that so?" Natalie raised a brow. "Well then, you better finish your coffee because I'm heading out now," Natalie stood from her seat, giving him a pointed look before spinning around and walking off toward the exit.

"Wait for me!" Edmund downed his coffee mug in one swig and jogged after her.

"One of these days, one of them is going to explode..." Caspian muttered to Lucy.

"Agreed!" Lucy giggled.

"Hmm, I don't think I trust them in the library alone," he scratched his beard in thought.

"You think they'll actually do... something?" Lucy blushed, wide-eyed.

"Not sure... hey I have an idea!" He snapped his fingers. "We should all go horse riding! That way we could all do something fun together and I can keep an eye on the lovebirds..."

"You're really over-protective of her, you know that?" Lucy smiled fondly.

"She's like a sister to me," Caspian admitted easily with a shrug.

"Well, the 'plan' sounds good to me anyway," Lucy smiled.

Elsewhere, Edmund reached Natalie, who slowed down her pace to walk alongside him. "You've been avoiding me again..." he mentioned offhandedly as they walked down the hall.

"I haven't," Natalie denied, shaking her head.

"No? Alright, prove it then," He moved over to her until they were standing toe to toe.

"And how would you like me to prove it?" Natalie smiled.

"Kiss me," Edmund demanded, keeping her from slipping from his hold again by placing his hands on her and holding her around the waist.

"If I must..." Natalie smiled teasingly.

"Yes, you must," he grinned.

"Whatever you say, my King," Natalie drew her arms around his neck, bravely stepping in a little closer. Just before Edmund was able to 'move in for the kill', the sound of a throat being cleared was hear off to their side. They separated with a start, equal deer-caught-in-headlights look in their faces.

"So sorry to disturb you," Caspian grinned. All he caught was them embracing each other, but it was certainly enough to poke fun at them for!

"Don't you have anything better to do? You know, like rule a Kingdom?" Edmund asked in clear annoyance.

"This is true," Caspian nodded. "But as King I also have the right to spent some time off! You should know, that Ed. Which is why I come to find the both of you now..."

"Alright then, what is it you want?" Edmund frowned impatiently. Natalie had to stop herself from laughing at the irritation coming off of her _friend_, even as she flushed with embarrassment at being caught with him in this way. Oh she would not be hearing the end of this, that was for sure. Surely Caspian would tell Lucy, and the two of them would make their lives miserable.

"The last time we tried going out horseback riding, it didn't exactly go well. Today is beautiful and I don't have very many duties to preform. I thought we could all go riding?" Caspian smiled.

"That sounds like a great idea, Caspian," Natalie smiled, gently pushing Edmund off of her who gave her an irritated, incredulous, and betrayed look. Such a drama queen. She surprised herself by winking teasingly at him and walked passed Caspian, turning to flash Edmund a smile. "Come, let us be off to the stables!"

'She did it again!' Edmund thought in frustration. He turned and glared to his older friend. "Ugh! Caspian! See what you did?" Edmund growled in annoyance.

"Agh!" Caspian jerked his arm, wincing as Edmund punched him. "What in Narnia was that for?" he demanded, rubbing her sore arm. 'That boy truly has grown stronger,' he mused. Edmund didn't answer, he simply scoffed in irritation and stormed down the hall, his hands in his trouser pockets. "Teenagers..." Caspian sighed, though his lips tilted up in amusement. 'So they've finally admitted their feelings for each other? That embrace certainly wasn't something 'just friends' would do!' He mused as he followed his friends.

Natalie clicked her tongue like Edmund taught her to do for the horse and Jack trotted back to where she wanted him to go. 'Well imagine that!' she smiled to herself. They had ridden out into the country-side, Natalie displaying her impressive quick-learning skills and riding out with them with minimal problems.

"I see you're getting the hang of it! Did Ed teach you?" Caspian asked as he moved his horse next to her's.

"He did, it's like you said, not so difficult once you get the hang of it," Natalie continued to smile.

"Do you think you can handle a race?" The oldest of the group grinned playfully.

"You're on!"

"I'm... on?" Caspian looked confused and Natalie had to laugh. She forgot that this wasn't 'home', most of these people didn't know most of the lingo that came out of her mouth most days. It was many times in a day that Natalie had to explain something, even to Edmund and Lucy! Some American slang from the future that they never heard of.

"It means I accept your challenge," she grinned.

"Ah, I see! Sometimes I don't understand a word that comes out of your mouth," Caspian smirked.

"Likewise," Natalie teased. The group raced through the land, passed fields and rocky formations, passed huge trees and tall grass. The wind danced in their hair as it carried their laughter through the air. It was great fun for all and it almost made them forget the troubles they had recently had. Natalie had tried to put her fears behind her, insist to herself that the thing with Calormen was a fluke and is had nothing to do with any purpose of the future... but somehow, she knew that something else was coming, something far worse. The prisoner had mentioned coldness, as Edmund and Caspian said, and it _had _been getting colder these few days... but it was close to winter, so probably just being paranoid.

Suddenly a vision of her standing in a field of blood rushed before her eyes. There were bodies everywhere and a gold crown lay by her feet. She couldn't tell if the crown was gold or silver in the light of the day. Looking up she saw the sky on fire, black clouds from fire, the sun blood red, like the stains on the green grass. Screams of pain and fear echoed around her. _"You must overcome..."_ a voice told her. She gasped in shock as the vision rushed before her eyes, jerking back and making the horse neigh nervously.

"Nat! Is something the matter?" Lucy asked as she had her horse ride over to her side.

Natalie's vision then turned to the sight of the lion, Aslan, standing over the same field, this time covered in snow. _"You must help him overcome..." _he told her. _"Do not fear, I will be with you. Do not think on these things now, my child, for there will be a time and a place for them later..."_ The visions passed and Natalie blinked a few times to focus. She felt herself relax again as the presence of Aslan remained with her a few more moments, as if to apologize for such a gruesome vision. She turned her attention to her worried looking friends. "I'm sorry. It's nothing, I-I just thinking about the future and my purpose here," Natalie shrugged shyly.

"Is that all?" Edmund asked in concern.

"Yes... I was just worried about what the future might hold for me?" Natalie explained lamely. 'I... I can't worry them over what I just saw...' she shook her head.

"...I'm sure Aslan will tell you soon..." Lucy frowned worriedly.

By the time they got back, it was already getting dark out. After returning the horses to the stables, they separated to freshen up before dinner. Lucy and Caspian, predictably, headed for the dining hall first, leaving them to walk over by themselves. Natalie met Edmund in the hall, who smiled at her and offered his arm. Natalie smiled back bashfully and hooked her arm around his.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seemed really spooked earlier..." Edmund asked quietly.

Natalie _had _been 'spooked', she was _still _a bit worried about what the vision meant, but if Aslan said not to worry right now, then by God she wouldn't make her sick doing so. And so, she smiled and patting his arm. "Your concern is very sweet. I promise I'm fine, I just have some pretty wild imagination sometimes. I imaged myself getting hurt in some stupid accident or something, that's all..." she lied flawlessly. She didn't like lying to him, at all, but she knew if she told him what she _really _saw, he would just become impossible.

"Alright, if you say so..." Edmund sighed. After a few moments, his lips quirked up. "So... we never got to finish earlier," he commented offhandedly.

"Oh?" Was Natalie's simple reply, glancing at him. "I don't recall starting anything?" she held in a giggle at the look of tolerance he shot her.

"_Natalie!_" He said in exasperation.

"_Edmund!_" Natalie countered. She surprised him by standing on her tip-toes and kissing his cheek. She didn't miss the blush he tried to hide and found it adorable.

"You know that's not what I want..." Edmund's voice was low and it made her flush. "But I suppose that will do... _for now_..." His eyes flashed as he looked down at her. "We wouldn't want our friends to have to eat dinner without us, after all," he smiled.

"Why would they?" Natalie blinked in confusion. Part of her knew what he was talking about, but refused to believe it.

"Because we would miss dinner, we would be too busy..." He grinned.

"Edmund!" Natalie slapped his arm in retaliation, making him laugh. She blushed deeply and tried not to imagine how _busy _they would be. They met their friends in the dining hall. Edmund had refused to let Natalie's arm go until she was at her seat, ignoring the grins from their friends. All through dinner, Natalie would meet Edmund's gaze and could not stop herself from smiling back when he would grin at her. Caspian rolled his eyes at the interaction, even though he was relieved that they were beginning to express their feelings more.

"Oh my goodness," Natalie said as she forced a fake yawn. "I am beat! I'm going to turn in early, good night!" She smiled to her friends and left the dining table, giving Edmund a wink. Edmund narrowed his eyes, his eyes telling her he would catch her very soon. She knew she playing with fire. Natalie grinned back at him before disappearing out the door. Honestly she wasn't sure what he would do when she ever let him catch her, or if he ambushed her or something... she knew his pent up frustration for not being able to do... whatever it was he wanted to do with her, was going to make him snap sooner or later. He just hoped he would be able to control himself. What worried her more, though, was she was afraid that _she _might not be able to control _herself_ when that time came...

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Poor Edmund can't catch a break! Sorry I took a bit to update, had to do a lot of system updates, and then I've been watching "Merlin" so I kind of got distracted (again). I treasure your input, so R&R!

Shout-Out:

**Guest**: No account? Really? Huh, imagine that! Anyway, glad you're enjoying this so far!

**OlleiPattson**: No problem! What do you mean "sort of"?

**Guestwholovesed**: I'm very happy you like my story!

**narnias no.1fan**: I'll look into it!


	24. Chapter 23

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N**: WARNING! This chapter contains some suggestive material!

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The next morning, Natalie met her friends in the hall, this time with Caspian absent. She smiled at them as she walked over. "Good morning," she said softly.

"Good morning, Nat!" Lucy greeted her happily.

"Lu, could you go on ahead to breakfast? I need to talk to Natalie..." Edmund said.

"Oh, um, sure!" Lucy blinked in confusion but shrugged and walked off.

"So what did you need to talk about?" Natalie asked after waiting a few moments for them to be alone.

Edmund turned to Natalie. He decided that morning that he had enough. He was all for giving Natalie time to adjust before he 'swept her off his feet' – as his inner pride might say – but when she played hard to get like that, no, he had had enough. "I'm a bit tired of this game we're playing..." he began, his hands in his pockets and his head tilted down to give her a piercing look.

Natalie knew what he was talking about and felt bad for frustrating him so much. Perhaps it was time to get serious. "Alright," she nodded. "What do you suggest we do then?"

Edmund stepped over to her. "Nat... I'm going to kiss you," he warned her, walking closer to her. "If you truly don't want me to, you'll just have to stop me now..."

"I..." Natalie placed hand on his chest, keeping him at a distance. "The truth is..." began, chewing on her lip a bit and blushing as his eyes became slightly hooded. Edmund continued moving forward a bit, and she moved back until she was pressed against a wall gently. "I don't really know _how _to kiss..." she admitted, finding his shirt suddenly fascinating. Edmund wasn't sure whether to feel surprised or understand because of his knowledge of her past.

"It's okay, I can teach you," he smiled. Truthfully, he liked being the first guy she ever kissed, he felt pride in being the man to teach her how to kiss too. He smiled again and placed his palm on her cheek, cupping it, tilting her head up to look at him. "It's simple, just relax and go with it for now... you'll know what to do," he promised her and leaned in. This time, Natalie didn't stop him. She let her eyes drift shut as his soft lips finally touched her's in a sweet kiss. As he wrapped his arms around her waist, she felt her own arms wrap around his neck. She felt a bit dizzy as he pulled away slightly after a few moments. Edmund smiled and pulled her closer. "See? That wasn't so bad..." he said, before leaning in to kiss her again.

Natalie was glad he wasn't doing anything a gentleman wouldn't do. The kiss was soft and chaste, no tongue, no hands all over the place, or anything of the sort. He was being sweet and easing her into it. She relaxed on him and pressed her forehead against his when he pulled away again. Natalie could tell he was restraining himself a bit, and cherished his self control. She wasn't sure how she would react if they did anything more, even if a little part of her told her she would enjoy it just as much. She hugged him, pulling him closer and Edmund cocooned her in his strong arms. Natalie had never felt so safe, so loved before.

Meanwhile, Caspian slapped his knee in mirth. "And then I said, 'I'm sorry Captain, I was talking about the whale... I don't see how you thought I was talking about your wife?'" he chortled at his tale. He and Lucy sat at the dining table, waiting for their friends.

"Oh my goodness!" Lucy laughed as well. "I can't believe he called his own wife those things!"

"I couldn't believe it either! I-" They were interrupted when Edmund and Natalie walked into the room, looking rather flushed and with wrinkled clothes.

"Took your time getting here, did we? So I see you two had a very productive morning..." Caspian smiled cheekily.

While Natalie blushed, Edmund glared. "Shut it," he warned. Throughout breakfast, Natalie would find herself being asked if she was sick or if she was alright. She cursed herself for not being able to stop blushing, and Edmund was making it more difficult by sitting next to her and bumping his arm or leg against her's every now and then. She knew he was doing it on purpose because he would give her 'innocent' smiles whenever he would do so.

"So my scouts recently discovered a system of hot springs near a modest size pond," Caspian mentioned conversationally as he pushed his plate away from him, smiling and nodding at the servant who took it from him. "I thought we might look into it? Go swimming maybe? It's a bit cold out but the waters should be warm from whatever is heating the hot springs?"

"That sounds like an awesome idea," Natalie smiled. She loved swimming and the idea of swimming in warm waters in cold weather sounded fantastic.

"Sire?" Basil walked over to the table, a look of regret on his face.

"Let me guess, there is something I must do this morning?" Caspian sighed.

"Yes, Sire, forgive me..." Basil looked put off.

"It's not a problem, Basil, don't feel bad," Caspian smiled. "I will of course attend to my duties, but you," he turned to his friends. "You should all go! I can go with you another time, please, go and have fun!" The three protested, not wanting to experience something new and potentially amazing without their friend, but Caspian insisted. And so, Edmund, Lucy, and Natalie once again found themselves in the stable, readying their horses.

"Caspian said it was west of here, toward the forest and passed a rock formation that looks like a minotaur's head." Edmund mentioned as they finished preparing their things and saddling the horses. They rode for an hour until they found the pond, nestled between some trees some ways from the rock formation.

"Wow! It looks beautiful!" Natalie gaped. The pond with a nice size, surrounded by smaller pools of steaming water. The waters of the pond itself seemed to bubble a bit, steam rising like water simmering over a stove. She walked over and placed her hand just over the surface to see how hot it was. When her hand didn't burn, she placed it in and grinned. "Water feels great!" She turned and beamed at her friends.

"It's a shame we couldn't go to that lake I showed you before..." Edmund smiled back at her.

"When did you take Natalie to a lake?" Lucy raised a brow, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Um, you were sick that day..." Edmund trailed off.

"So you decided to take Nat out on a date while poor little ol' me was sick in bed?" Lucy acted hurt, pouting and crossing arms. "I could have died and you two were out gallivanting around Narnia..."

'Wow, drama Queen,' Natalie mused mirthfully. Wait- did she just say 'date'?

"Aw, I'm sorry Lu, it was- wait, that was not a date!" Lucy laughed at the blush on her brother's cheeks. In retaliation, after securing his horse, Edmund walked over to the pond and splashed his way in, even without taking his clothes off, and splashed Lucy, who shrieked in response.

"That's not funny!" Lucy laughed.

"Then why are you laughing?" Edmund chuckled.

"Ugh. I'm going to go get changed!" Lucy said, shaking her head. Edmund smirked triumphantly and then turned to Natalie who was staring at him wide-eyed. Oh, that's right, he wore a white silk shirt that day. With a mischievous grin, Edmund began walking slowly toward her, his arms spread apart.

"Don't even think about it," Natalie caught on to what he was planning on doing. "I'm warning you!" Her eyes widened and she shrieked when he ran over to her. Natalie was too slow to react and was caught. Edmund chuckled as he lifted her and ran over to the pond. "Edmund! Don't you dare! ED!" Edmund laughed and tossed her in. Natalie sputtered and shot up, dripping wet and glaring at the still chortling King. He was so distracted by his laughter that he didn't notice Natalie wading over to him. "Revenge!" Natalie shoved him, knocking him off balance and watching him splash backwards into the waters.

"Oh, you'll pay for that!" Edmund got to his feet and started chasing Natalie once more. Lucy returned on time to see her brother and friend chasing and splashing each other. She smiled fondly before running into the pond and diving in, creating a bigger splash that soaked her friends. Edmund and Natalie stood, a bit startled by the sudden wave that hit them.

"I think I'll go change now, my clothes probably have more water in them than there is in the pond!" Natalie made her way out and went some ways into the woods for privacy. It took her a few minutes but she finally changed into her medieval swimsuit, which really wasn't much better than the dress she had been wearing. Upon arriving back at the pond she found that Edmund had changed into his own swimsuit, or rather, taken off everything but his undergarments.

"Nat? Nat you alive in there?" Lucy grinned as she waved a hand before her friend's face.

"Wha-what?" Natalie blinked back to focus and blushed scarlet. This was the first time she had seen the man bare-chested and it really was a sight to behold. All the training and wars he had gone through had really sculpted him out. He wasn't a body-builder by any means, but his athletic figure could make any girl blush. 'You could _sear_ an egg on those abs...' Natalie shook her head and averted her eyes nonchalantly. "Come on, let's go in!" Natalie went over to the pond and dove in.

"You said you liked playing Marco Polo, right? Should we play?" Edmund suggested, wading over to her and smiling.

"Y-Yeah, sure!" Natalie nodded, cursing herself for not being able to control her hormones and cursing _him _for being so freaking alluring. They played a few rounds, raced each other around the pond, competed in who could jump the best from the rocks nearby, and relaxed, chatting amiably with each other.

After a few hours, Edmund stood. "I think we should head back?" He suggested.

"It might be best," Lucy agreed. "It should be around lunch time by the time we get back anyway," she got up and stretched. "This is a lovely place," she smiled.

"Come on, Nat, time to go," Edmund smiled down at her.

"Aww..." Natalie moped, sinking back into the warm waters.

"Well while you're persuading her to hurry up, I'm going to go get changed," Lucy mentioned, leaving the pond and taking her clothes into the woods with her.

"Are you going to get out?" Edmund asked, raising a brow as Natalie sunk into the waters further until only her her was exposed.

"Nope, too comfortable," she smiled at him.

Edmund shook his head in amusement and went back in with her. He sat down next to her and surprised her by pulling her toward him, wrapping an arm around her waist. Natalie blushed, looking down at the gentle ripples of the water, watching the steam slowly dance it's way up like wisps of clouds. She relaxed and let herself lean further against him, enjoying his embrace. Edmund leaned further and lifted a hand to her cheek, turning her head to look at him. Natalie smiled back and her eyes shut as he moved to kiss her. "Part your lips..." Edmund instructed in a whisper against her lips. Natalie did as he suggested and stilled as he angled his head a bit, gently caressing her lips with the tip of his tongue. Natalie felt herself move closer, shifting so she was half-way turned to him and experimentally pushed her own tongue against his. As soon as she did so, something within them seemed to finally break.

Things moved faster from there. Edmund pressed harder, pulling her flush against him. Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck, angling her own head to deepen the kiss further. Natalie gasped slightly as she felt herself lifted slightly. Edmund smiled within the kiss and pulled her over his lap, making her straddle him. Natalie pressed herself against his hard chest, surprised when a low moan escaped his throat.

"Hey guys?" Lucy's voice was heard not far from them, still somewhere in the woods. Natalie and Edmund pulled away, panting slightly, their eyes locked. "Be careful when you come in here. There's a couple snake holes around and I don't think it's the friendly kind," she called to them. Natalie was too dazed from the event that just took place to blush, but did so when she tried to get up and he pulled her back down.

"Are you going to let me go?" Natalie asked in a whisper. She resisted biting her lip again, knowing it all but drove him mad and he would just 'trap' her in another kiss. His hand caressing her stomach didn't help matters though. Natalie felt herself become a little faint and wondered if it was the steam from the pond, or his sensual touch making her dizzy. 'Like I don't know the answer to that..' she thought with an inward sigh of defeat.

"Never," Edmund grinned.

"Ed, come on, we need to go get changed... weren't you the one trying to get me out?" Natalie asked.

"I'm not about to let you escape this time," Edmund pulled her back, but this time, his lips didn't go to her's. Natalie's eyes widened and she arched her neck back, her fingers digging into his shoulder as his lips latched onto her neck gently. She moved closer to him, pulling him closer, gripping his shoulder tighter. He pulled away from her neck, only to kiss his way back up, leaving a hot, tingling trail in his wake. He met her lips once more with his and devoured them. He smiled in the kiss when she made a sound of approval.

"I'm coming out so whatever it is you two are doing, you better give it a rest!" Lucy warned them.

Natalie gasped, pulling away. She gave him a look, but Edmund still refused to relinquish his hold on her. When Lucy walked over, she raised a brow and grinned at them. "Maybe I should have taken a bit longer?" She smiled innocently.

"Ed!" Natalie sighed, giving up trying to get up. She smacked him lightly when he finally _did _let go and stood from the water, wobbling slightly. She bit her lip when his hand shot out to steady her, landing on her thigh. The deep blush on his cheeks told her that it was unintentional, _this time_, but that didn't mean she couldn't tease him. "Lucy, your brother really needs to learn to behave," Natalie said as she made her way out of the pond.

"Look who's talking?" Edmund countered. Finally, after getting dressed and heading out, they made it to the castle just on time for lunch. Caspian had not returned yet, but a servant told them he said not to wait for him. The friends ate in peaceful silence. Later that night, Natalie sat in the library, having finished a lesson with Professor Marcus on Narnia's 'dark age', and was seated at the couch reading that story about the dragon she had been reading before. Edmund walked in, looking like he had just come out of a bath, and sat next to her, leaning over her shoulder to see what she was reading. "Fiction?"

"I like it," Natalie shrugged.

"I'm more of a non-fiction sort of person," Edmund mentioned, leaning back in his seat and putting his arm across the back of the couch. He smiled when Natalie nestled against him. He didn't miss the embarrassed blush on her cheeks and his eyes softened affectionately. She was still so shy around him. After a few more minutes of quietly watching her read, he began to squirm slightly. Natalie must have noticed because she closed her book and looked over at him curiously. "Sorry, I'm bored..." He muttered.

"Then why not go find something to do? Like, I dunno, make battle plans with Caspian? Practice with your swords? Pester your sister?" Natalie suggested with a smirk.

"Or I could just pester _you_," Edmund countered.

"You do that every day anyway, why not do something a bit more original?" She shot back with a grin.

"Touche!" Edmund chuckled. "What about this?" He leaned in and pecked her on the lips, smiling at the instant blush that spread through her cheeks.

"Hmm, not very original anymore," Natalie smiled cheekily.

"No? How about this?" Edmund took her book and placed it on the table near the couch. He then took her by the hips and pulled her over his lap once more, grinning at the deeper blush on her cheeks.

'One of these days I'm going to get a nose-bleed!' Natalie mused and smiled shyly at him. "This isn't so original either..." She said weakly. Edmund simply smiled and, with his hand on her cheek, pulled her in for a kiss. Natalie relaxed once more against him, letting herself drown in his arms. She was surprised once more when he groaned in pleasure after she shifted slightly in his lap. She frowned thoughtfully and shifted again, smiling when his grip on her hips tightened in an attempt to keep her still. "Do you like that?" She asked when she pulled away slightly.

"...Yes..." Edmund answered in a husky tone.

'I _did _say to do something original after all...' Natalie assured herself and tried it again, watching in surprise as his head lulled back against the sofa and another groan escaped him. She bit her lip, feeling something that was definitely _not _a sword press against her. She would be lying to herself if this wasn't starting to feel good for _her _as well. Before she could contemplate what she would do next, and before she realized exactly what had happened, she found herself on her back, against the couch and Edmund pressing against her suggestively. "Ed?" She questioned him, feeling her blush reach her neck.

"Nat..." Edmund sighed, leaning in and laying a soft kiss on her cheek, making her eyes flutter shut. The kiss once more began to trail down her neck, but this time, he didn't stop there. Natalie braced herself with her hands on his broad shoulders. She arched back and when he reached her pulse point and latched on. A gasp escaped her as his teeth scraped against her neck slightly while his hands pushed their way down, pulling her legs around his waist. All it took was a shift from _him _this time, moving against the couch to better balance himself, to make a sound of pleasure leave both of their lips. Edmund had inadvertently rocked against the couch, unintentionally grinding again her. Looking into his eyes, she saw something she had never seen before in him, and it made her heart race faster than she had previously experienced. She had never seen such lust in his eyes before.

Natalie arched back against the couch as Edmund rocked them again. The only time she had ever experienced this kind of pleasure was when she was by herself in her apartment, on the rare occasion that she took the time off, she had read a very risque novel and what followed was nothing short of a very adult experience for a young girl. She knew more about it now that she was a bit older and with Edmund trapping her under him the way he was, making her experience pleasure like this again, conjured a volley of fantasies that she would most definitely liked fulfilled by him.

Knowing that her mind and Edmund's action would soon lead them to uncharted and possibly foolish territory at this point in time, Natalie's eyes napped open. Fighting the haze of pleasure she pushed against him slightly, fighting to keep herself from moaning. He had seemingly lost all control of himself and she feared at any moment they would both lose something else. "Ed- Edmund! Wait, stop!" She gasped, relieved when her request registered in Edmund and he froze, wide-eyed.

"Oh, God, I am so sorry!" His face paled. "I-I don't know what came over me... I'm so very sorry," his eyes were pleading.

"Ed," Natalie reached over and cupped his cheeks. "It's not like I didn't play a part in this," she assured him. "I'm at just as much fault as you... we should probably stop before... we get carried away, err, further anyway..." the blush never left her cheeks.

"Y-You're right... I'm sorry," Edmund apologized again. Edmund stood immediately, blushing once more when Natalie's eyes landed _down_. Natalie was honestly too surprised to react typically to seeing the effect she had had on him. "Um-" Edmund snatched the first thing in reach, which happened to be the book Natalie had been reading, to cover his 'shame'. Natalie blinked at the book and then looked back at him, finally realizing she had been staring at _him_. She averted her eyes and stood as well, biting her lip and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously.

"I-uh, I'll see you tomorrow..." Natalie muttered, moving to leave.

"Wait-!" Edmund stepped toward her, but held still. Natalie turned to him questioningly and Edmund walked over to her again. "Can I... kiss you?" he asked softly.

Natalie had to laugh at his sudden shyness. It was endearing. She nodded and her eyes drifted closed as their lip met in a slow, meaningful kiss. When he pulled away, their foreheads touched and they smiled at each other. "Good night, Ed," she said in a quiet voice, reaching up to caress his jaw, before leaving the room.

That night, neither of them had an easy time sleeping, too incredibly riled up from what they had done. Edmund lay on his back in his bed, staring up at the ceiling and willing his body to relax. Meanwhile, Natalie lay on her own bed, curled up and staring into the darkness, willing her heart to still. Neither of them had ever wanted to be with someone so badly. Things had certainly taken a turn between them, something had changed indeed, and it could only evolve further from there. As sleep finally did take them, in the wee hours of the night, they wondered just what the future held for them now.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Things are really starting to get steamy for them, eh? Just to warn you, I completely missed the next chapter! I didn't write anything for it! So I'm going to have to write a chapter that fits in between this one and the one after the next that I _did _summarize for... I'm not sure how quickly I'll update the next chapter, but it shouldn't be too long. If I get enough encouragement, I might work on it a bit harder. Reviews are love!

Note: The way I described Edmund in this story is _not _the way I feel for the actor, who I based most of what he looks like (basics anyway, hair color, facial structures, etc). I _do_ think he's a cute boy but I wouldn't exactly describe him the way I do here lol.

Shout-Out:

**AccioTeddyLupin**: Lol the point it also to frustrate my readers! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Guest**: I hope this chapter was to your approval :P

**izaria**: Me too!


	25. Chapter 24

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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As Natalie woke the next morning, she lay still in bed, staring out unseeing into her room, her thoughts on what had transpired the night before. Had that really happened? She got up, shivering from the cold and slipping a robe on and walked over to her wash room. As she prepared for the day, she felt both nervous about how she would face Edmund, and anxious _to _see him again. She had never felt this connected to someone, not even her beloved brother an best friend who she missed with all her being. Deciding thinking about those types of things would just make her more anxious, she put it off her mind and got dressed.

She met her friends in the hall and smiled when Caspian joined them that morning. As they walked down the hall, she glanced over at Edmund, catching his eye, and smiled shyly at him. He smiled back just as bashfully and it strangely made her feel better. At least she wasn't the only one feeling awkward about what had happened between them, or what _could have _happened, anyway. Caspian and Lucy, on the other hand, could tell something had definitely changed between them and throughout breakfast they could sense a sort of tension between them again, however, it wasn't the bad kind. They noticed a happiness between them that told them that whatever changed was a good thing.

"Come on, Nat, we'll train in the barracks again, okay?" Edmund said after breakfast.

"Alright," Natalie nodded and stood from her seat. "Either of you want to join us?"

"I was actually going to go visit Professor Cornelius today, so no, I'll see you two later," Caspian answered.

"And I wanted to see how the villagers are doing in this dreadfully cold weather," Lucy told them, smiling conspiratorially with Caspian.

"...You guys aren't plotting something, are you?" Natalie asked dryly.

"No," Caspian laughed. "We just thought you two wanted some time alone, seeing as you're getting along so well... especially after that fight you had?" Lucy nodded in agreement.

"Well... thanks," Edmund blinked. 'Why does it feel like they're always playing match-maker with us?' He sighed inwardly but shrugged and gestured for Natalie to follow him. He was glad that Caspian had so much insight. He _did _want to spend some time alone with Natalie, now that she was more receptive to his affection, he was going to make sure she didn't retreat behind her walls again. He cared too much for her to hurt herself that way. Now that he knew she felt the same way for him, or at least a fraction of what he felt for her, he wanted to see how far he could take his "relationship" with her.

"Something on your mind?" Natalie asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"Just thinking about our future," Edmund smiled enigmatically.

"_We _have a future now?" She grinned.

"Sure we do... for example, our future holds us training some more in swordsmanship, does it not?" He grinned back.

"True," Natalie nodded. "Something tells me you're planning something else, though..."

"Nonsense!" Edmund chuckled, leading her passed the courtyard and toward the barracks. "I'm not at all not planning anything..."

"Wait, isn't that a double negative?" Natalie raised her brow.

"Come on, I asked the men to give us some privacy..." Edmund instead replied.

"Hmm..." Natalie narrowed her eyes but didn't push the subject.

"So have I introduced you to my wooden sword yet?" Edmund grinned as he walked over to the training wall and got them some practice swords. He tossed her a sword and made to attack in a slow but wide arch.

"Wooden sword?" Natalie blocked the attack. "The one you're using? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I know it well by now..." she said dryly, thinking he was taunting her playfully. She shifted her feet forward and lunged slowly, letting him see her form.

"Nicely done," Edmund parried the attack and smiled. "Not this wooden sword, my _other _one?" He replied. Natalie frowned in confusion, pausing to give him a look. Edmund then snickered when Natalie's eyes bugged out.

"You pervert!" She screeched half-appalled. It took coming to Narnia and meeting Edmund to get her to catch on so quickly to those types of things, something that probably wouldn't have ever happened where she lived before.

He laughed, letting Natalie smack his arm in retaliation. "No no! That one over there!" Edmund laughed, pointing to another wooden sword on display. "That's the sword I used when I first trained with Oreius, remember my story about him? I brought it over from Cair Paravel a while ago," he told her.

"No," Natalie suddenly said.

"No? Yes I did," Edmund gave her a puzzled look.

"No, I mean, you _haven't_ introduced me to your _other _wooden sword," She smiled. It was Edmund's turn for his eyes to widened when she _winked_ at him. It was so unlike her to make a dirty joke like that, that he couldn't help but laugh.

"So anyway," he walked over to the sword. "I actually had to make this one," Edmund took the sword from the rack and handed it to her.

"It's... nice?" Natalie smiled politely and looked at the sword. She compared it to the sword she had been using and nodded, seeing what he was trying to show her. "They look like they were crafted together." She tested the weight. "They're the same?"

"Pretty good for a little kid, right?" Edmund smiled. "I was very proud of it," he took the sword back and placed it back on the rack.

"Impressive," Natalie grinned.

"It's a sort of tradition, one day I might have _you _make one too," Edmund smiled grinned back. They practiced for a good two hours until Edmund decided it was enough for that day. "Go to the library with me?" Edmund asked after they put their gear away.

"Sure..." Natalie answered, a bit suspicious of him. It was usually _she _who invited him to the library, but then, after what happened between them, she assumed he wanted to talk about it. Things had been a bit too normal so far, training, joking around, that sort of thing. They walked in silence until they reached the library, and then Natalie felt her eyes widen at the sight that greeted her. "Oh, Ed, it's beautiful," she smiled affectionately, admiring the blanket spread in front of the fireplace, the couch moved back, and a wicker basket sitting in the middle. Now _that _was a picnic if she ever did see one! It was a decidedly very romantic gesture on his part and she wondered what he truly meant by it. Was this a date?

"I'm glad you like it," Edmund smiled back, taking her hand and leading her to the blanket. They sat down and Edmund revealed a bottle of that sweet wine she had tried at dinner once and loved. He handed her a goblet and poured the wine into it and then into his own cup. He placed the bottle down and held his cup up.

Natalie grinned and gently knocked her cup against his in a toast. "What are we toasting to?"

"To a lot of things. To Aslan, to Narnia, to brighter futures, and to... us?" A light blush tainted his cheeks.

"I can agree to that," Natalie smiled affectionately, and took a sip from her cup. Once that was done, Edmund pulled the lid off of the basket and revealed smoked fish with a honey sauce, caramelized yams, and fresh berries. "It looks great! When did you get this set up?" She asked, taking a berry and munching on it. Edmund watched in rapt attention as the berry passed her pink lips, wetting her lips with the sweet juices. "Ed?"

"Wha?" Edmund averted his gaze with a deep blush and took a breath to calm down. That was exactly why he chose the berries... He cleared his throat. "Last night, after... well, after we left the library and I saw you to your room, I made preparations," he answered, leaning back on his hands and smiling at her.

"You dog," Natalie laughed softly.

"Sorry?" Edmund blinked in confusion.

"Nevermind, I meant to say, nice idea," She corrected herself.

"Ah, well, glad you like it! So, shall we?" He gestured to the food and smiled when she nodded eagerly. Edmund served them plates of the food and they spent the meal teasing each other and secretly seeing who could make the other blush the most. So far, Edmund was winning, but only because Natalie had had much less social interaction than he had. When the main coarse was finished and the plates put away, Edmund took out the berries, fighting off a blush at the mere sight of them. They took berries and dipped them in the sweet honey sauce.

"Ed, you're so messy," Natalie laughed, reaching over without thinking to catch the droplet of sauce that escaped him. She froze slightly when his hand shot out and caught her wrist. They stared into each other's eyes for a few moments before Edmund did something to floor her with shock. He took her finger and licked the honey off of it. Her jaw dropped slightly, her cheeking feeling like they just caught on fire. Edmund fought his own blush away as well and leaned in, taking advantage of her parted lips to deepen a kiss. Natalie reacted instinctively, her eyes drifting closed and her body relaxing, letting him gently push her down on the blanket.

Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer as he maneuvered over her, bracing his knees on either side of her and holding himself up on his forearms. Edmund was pleasantly surprised when Natalie took his bottom lip between her teeth, sucking on it gently before resuming to duel against his tongue. Before long, lack of oxygen began to make the already dizzying kiss a bit hard to concentrate on. Edmund pulled away reluctantly and smiled down at her. "You learn quick at just about everything, don't you?" he grinned.

"It's a gift," Natalie smiled back, reaching over to run her fingers through his silky hair. It was then they realize how utterly in peace they felt in each other's arms, like they were long lost puzzle pieces, finally fitting together harmoniously. It felt so natural, so right, like it was meant to be. "So... I'm about to ask you something that might ruin the mood..." Natalie began.

Edmund smiled and took her hand that she had been using to caress the nape of his neck and kissed her palm. "Go ahead."

"...How is it that you know how to kiss... so well?" She asked shyly.

Edmund thought about this, tilting his head to the side thoughtfully. "Well, back during the 'golden age', when I grew up... there were many women who tried to err, _woo, _me, for lack of better words... and sometimes, I gave in. I was a man, I fell into temptation. I've never done anything other than kissing and... well, touching... I was saving the rest for someone special..." Edmund averted his eyes, not wanting to see the hurt in her's, but Natalie smiled and coaxed him to look back at her.

"I understand," she told him, holding her hand on either side of his face.

"You do?" Edmund asked in surprise.

"Yep," She said simply. Just the fact that he hadn't done _that _with anyone yet, told her of his strong ideals. He clearly took this sort of thing serious and didn't just do it with anyone. It made her heart flutter and the smile to stay almost permanently on her cheeks. Was she that special someone? The more she spent time with him, the more likely that seemed. It made her both excited and scared. Would she be able to handle it if she _was _that person his heart was searching for? She couldn't deny the idea appealed to her more than she thought it would, considering her past. But no more of that! Natalie then surprised him by rolling them over again, landing on top of him. She smiled down at him and framed his face with her hands again, stroking his cheeks gently. She leaned in and kissed him.

Edmund shifted slightly, pulling her closer and angling his head, deepening the kiss once more as he wrapped his arms around her. They spent the rest of the day, kissing and talking in between kisses. During dinner there was a sort of partially tense, partially peaceful feeling between them. Neither of their friends noticed the hidden touches under the table, the secret glances or smiles. Outwardly, Natalie and Edmund had seemed to master concealing their affections from the ever nosy friends.

After dinner, Natalie announced she would turn in early, and, as always, Edmund jumped to the chance to walk her to her room. As they walked silently, their finger-tips brushed against each other's, until Edmund slid his hand over Natalie's taking it and pulling it to his lips to kiss her knuckles, making her smile. At her door, Edmund smiled and drew his hand over her cheek, caressing her cheekbone and leaned in.

Edmund kissed her with such passion that it left her weak in the knees. His kiss was toxic, lethal, it drugged her into a haze, leaving her with labored breathing and shivers all over her. He had never kissed her like this and it made her throat dry and heart skip a beat. It was a kiss that seemed to promise so much more... she had to wonder exactly what it could mean. For now, she struggled to re-root her feet and concentrate on refocusing her thoughts. "Um..." Natalie blinked several times to clear the dizziness and ventured a glance up at him. His eyes told her even _that_ kiss was holding back. "G-Goodnight..." she bit her lip, stepping out of his arms and backing up to her door, feeling for the knob and opening it. Edmund continued to watch her silently until she disappeared behind her door. "What was that?" Natalie whispered to herself. She let her head fall back against the door behind her, holding a hand over her heart to try to calm it, but not succeeding.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Aww! They went on a date! It's about time they openly started 'courting'! It's looking to me like Edmund is starting to act more like a _guy_ lol. Sorry I took a while to update again! Like I said before, I hadn't written much at all in the outline for this chapter so I had to fill in the blanks.

About Natalie understanding Edmund, this is more of _my _personality in there than Natalie's (I tried to write her a kind of opposite to me), even though Natalie is a pretty understanding person. I don't know how other women would react to finding out that their boyfriends or love-interests or whatever had had prior "experience", at least in kissing and the sort, especially in Edmund's case - loneliness and comfort seeking, - but I would certainly understand them and not judge them... but that's just me – and now Natalie too lol.

Shout-Out:

**narnias no.1fan**: You're very welcome lol

**Guest**: They haven't cracked completely yet, but yes lol.


	26. Chapter 25

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N: Warning! **Very suggestive material in this chapter! Why isn't there a "tension" genre here? XD

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It had been several days since Natalie and Edmund began to unofficially court. He hadn't asked her out yet, but it was an unspoken agreement between them. Natalie just hoped he would make it official soon! Because winter had seemed to come unusually early, it was much too cold to be outdoors most days, so the pair settled for dates in the library, a picnic by candle-light, leisurely strolls through the garden when the weather allowed it, nights looking up at the stars with the telescope doctor Cornelius has left, and often times just sitting and chatting. Neither of them had gone further than kissing for the past three days, but it was clear things were leading up to something more. Natalie felt a tug in her belly each time Edmund kissed her, and if she didn't know any better, his kisses were becoming more and more desperate, though always as gentle as could be.

The morning of the fourth day, since the two had begun courting each other, Natalie woke with a start. "What?!" She gasped as she felt herself roll out of bed, hitting the floor with an 'oof' before blinking in confusion. She had been having the most... interesting dream, involving sword training in the barracks with a certain young King. She blushed and pushed the dirty images of rolling around the training mat out of her mind and got up with a groan, rubbing her now sore arm. 'That'll teach _me _to have such dreams..!' She thought, shaking her head in disbelief. Looking at the clock, she noticed she had woken up earlier than usual, no doubt because she didn't get to finish... her dream. This was not the first time since she starting seeing him that she had had a dream like that. They had been becoming more and more intense lately and she had a feeling why that way, possibly something biological, something natural.

Natalie sighed wearily, glaring at her bed as if it was it's fault for her tumble and went to get ready for the day. It wasn't that she didn't _enjoy _those dreams, it just made it more difficult for her when she saw Edmund after having one! Somehow, he always knew when she had a dream about her, and often times liked to torment her with extra touches and kisses. He was driving her mad and he knew it! As she dressed herself, her mind wandered over to one door away from her room, idly wondering what the object of her dreams was like when he slept. Did he snore? Did he roll around restlessly? Did he sleep on his back? Did he sleep in the nu- Natalie shook her head violently, feeling lightheaded as all of her blood rushed to her face. 'Bad Natalie! Bad!' She thought with a frown. She just couldn't seem to get the boy out of her thoughts! It had been like that for weeks already!

Once again, a very pleasant memory of his tempting lips moving against her's as he held her tight wandered to the forefront of her mind. 'I'm never going to stop blushing this morning, am I?' She mused, sitting on her bed and staring at the clock. 'It's not as early as I thought, maybe five minutes or so before they come get me? Maybe I can be out there before them and get one of _them _this time?' She thought, getting up once more and crossing her room to her door. Just before she placed her hand on the handle, there was a knock. 'Damn,' Natalie smiled and opened her door.

"Good morning, Nat!" Was Lucy's usual greeting.

"Morning, kido!" Natalie smiled back, making her younger friend's nose crinkle. "No?"

"No," Lucy shook her head and smiled back.

"Caspian, why do you look like you're still asleep?" Natalie asked as she shut her door behind her, joining the group in the hall. She smiled softly at Edmund, who was leaning against the adjacent wall with an odd sort of contemplative look on his face. The moment he looked up at her, a wide smile erupted over his face. His eyes shone with mischief and Natalie had to wonder what he was planning that day.

"I slept two, maybe three hours last night..." Caspian responded with a weary sigh.

"Why?" Natalie asked wide-eyed. If _she _didn't get at least nine hours of sleep she would go crazy!

"No idea, maybe I ate too much during dinner last night?" Caspian rubbed the back of his head and shrugged.

"Could be, you ate like a pig," Lucy giggled. Natalie glanced over at Edmund as he walked over to stand next to her. She could see a familiar impatience in his eyes and had to stop herself from biting her lip. She turned back to her friends, attempting to ignore him, – which was difficult considering how close he was standing to her.

"That's _King _pig, to you!" Caspian retorted, getting a laugh out of all of them.

"You certainly _are _the King of the pigs," Natalie smiled cheekily.

"Hey, um, could you two excuse us? I need to have a word with Nat..." Edmund requested, giving them his most calm, serious look. They seemed to buy it and nodded in understanding. Edmund had a feeling they knew about their morning "chats" anyway, but was glad they acted clueless, if it _was _an act. As soon as they were out of sight, down the hall toward the dining room, Natalie found herself backed up against a wall with a cheerful looking King in front of her.

"Well hi there," Natalie smiled as calmly as she could, willing her heart to slow down.

"Hello," Edmund greeted back as naturally as could be.

"So what did you need to talk to me about?" Natalie asked, giving him an utterly curious look. Oh she knew what he wanted, it was sort of a thing they did each morning. Edmund would pull her aside to 'talk' and they would end up having to conceal their rumpled clothing and messed up hair from Caspian and Lucy by the time they got to the dining hall again.

Edmund blinked and fidgeted slightly. "Um, I..."

"I'm just kidding!" Natalie laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Edmund relaxed and held her closer, sliding his hand up her back to cradle her head, and leaned in. Natalie pressed herself closer, not being able to get close enough to him and accidentally bit his lip a bit harder than she intended when his hand slipped down her back, over her sides. "Ouch!" Edmund said as he pulled back, blinking in surprise when Natalie began laughing whole-heartedly. "Is it that amusing to cause me pain?" he asked with a smile and a raised eyebrow.

"N-No! You're t-tickling me!" Natalie answered.

"Oh? Am I now?" Edmund grinned widely and attacked her sides until she lost balance and caught him off guard, tipping them over. They fell into a heap on the ground and laughed. Edmund was surprised once more when he found himself on _his_ back this time.

Natalie smiled and leaned in. "Here, let me kiss your hurt lip all better," she said, kissing his bottom lip softly.

"I hurt here too," Edmund pointed to his top lip and smiled as she leaned in and kissed him again. He wrapped his arms around her once more and deepened the kiss, making her sigh in content and relax against him.

This was how Mary, the lead cook and one of the chief servants found them moments later. "My word!" She gasped. "M-My Lady? K-King Edmund?" She asked in shock.

"Oh!" Natalie pulled away, blushing in embarrassment. Edmund pulled her a little closer again, refusing to let her go even as the maid narrowed her eyes. He knew it certainly looked improper, but damn it, he would not let the girl go again!

"Forgive us, Mary," Edmund said, making Natalie gasp when he lifted her up in his arms and off the ground. He stood and placed her back down on her feet. "She was... just making sure I was... okay?" He said lamely, wincing at his horrible excuse.

"Hm," Mary gave him a look but shrugged. "If that is what it was, I will not question you, my Lord, good day, Lady Valentine, Highness," Mary bowed and continued on her way.

Natalie and Edmund sighed in relief, chuckling softly. Natalie was just about to head down the hall, but felt Edmund's hand on her arm pull her against him. "Ed!" She laughed, circling her arms around his middle and resting her head under his chin. "Come on, we should go to breakfast," she said, though made no move to pull away.

"Mm, you're right..." Edmund sighed, but he too didn't budge. A few silent moments later, they laughed softly again and reluctantly pulled away, letting their hands be the last to slide away, their finger-tips brushing. Edmund reclaimed her hand and kissed her palm once more, tugging her with him down the hall.

"We should do something about this," Natalie commented offhandedly.

"What, about this?" Edmund lifted their still joined hands.

"Yep," Natalie grinned.

"Well," Edmund stopped them and turned to face her. "Why don't we make it official then?" He said softly.

"What? Hand holding? I'm pretty sure it already is," Natalie chuckled softly.

"Nat, will you... be my girlfriend?" Edmund asked a bit shier than he intended to sound.

"Hm, I dunno, I'll have to think about it," Natalie answered with a shrug, even as her insides were doing somersaults. "Hmm, I _guess_..." she grinned. 'Boyfriend... never thought I'd ever have one, or one so... special,' she thought, struggling to find a word to describe Edmund. Special wasn't a perfect word, but he _was _special anyway. Among other things, who had Kings as boyfriends? Besides Catherine Middleton of course... but then, she was with a Prince, not a King quite yet!

"You _guess_?" Edmund grinned back, pulling her into a hug,

"I have no choice, do I?" Natalie lifted herself up slightly on her toes and kissed his nose.

"Nope, you don't," Edmund beamed.

"Well, it's about time anyway," Natalie grinned back.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you waiting for me to ask you our officially?" Edmund blinked and flushed in embarrassment.

"It's alright, we were kind of dating anyway, there's no real need for titles," Natalie smiled softly.

"I'm glad you're so understanding," Edmund grinned. "Come on," he once again led her down the hall. "Caspian and Lucy are going to... well, no, I suppose they won't be very surprised, will they?" he chuckled.

"Don't think so," Natalie smiled. How could they be surprised? They had been dating for almost a week already!

When Edmund and Natalie met their friends in the dining hall, they declared their status. They had expected them to at least look relieved, but how they _did _react, surprised them. "Well it's about _time_!" Lucy sighed.

"Agreed," Caspian nodded, then smirked. "You two certainly took your time 'talking'... as usual," he grinned.

"Yes," Edmund nodded as naturally as could be. "We had a lot to talk about. Our _relationship_, was one of the main points..."

"You mean the _only _point?" Lucy giggled.

"If you lot don't mind, and if you agree, Natalie, I'd like to take her out today on an official date?" He smiled at his new girlfriend, who beamed back at him, even as she blushed cutely once more. He had been under the impression that it would be a rather warm day that day, and wanted to show her a really nice spot in town, a large gazebo overlooking a nice bed of flowers, though he was sure the flowers would be covered in snow even if it _was_ a nice day.

"Well, that could be a problem," Caspian answered, scratching his beard, and then pointed on the large window. The three looked over and saw snow falling quite enthusiastically outside.

"Oh! It's snowing again!" Lucy smiled.

"Looks like a lot of it this time," Natalie agreed.

"Well... there goes _that _plan," Edmund sighed, glaring at the white stuff outside the window.

"It might be too cold to go out there," Natalie smiled apologetically at him.

"I could keep you warm?" Edmund grinned back.

"Your arms _are _better than a blanket or a coat..." Natalie blushed, still not used to admitting her affection for him in public. But Caspian and Lucy were almost like family... but then, wouldn't that make it worse? While Lucy had stars in her eyes at how romantic they were behaving, Caspian rolled his own. "We could wait until the snow stops and go out... maybe have a snow ball fight with these two?" Natalie gestured to Lucy and Caspian with her thumb. Edmund frowned slightly, wanting to just spend time with _her_, but decided perhaps they could do that while they waited?

"Sure, why not?" Edmund shrugged.

"Goodie!" Lucy clapped her hands, earning an eye-roll from her brother and a soft chuckle from Caspian.

"Welp, I'm going to go to the library, if anyone wants to join me?" Natalie mentioned, standing from her seat and pushing the chair in.

"I'll go with you," Edmund smiled.

"You two go on and snuggle or whatever it is you do," Caspian declined.

"I'm going to go help out in the kitchen," Lucy declined as well. "Maybe sneak in some chocolate," she grinned.

"I think I'll help you with that," Caspian smiled. "Won't it be a sight to see? A King and a Queen helping out servants in the kitchen?" he chuckled.

"You guys have fun then," Natalie smiled.

"You too, but not _too _much fun, yes?" Caspian smirked.

"Lech!" Natalie laughed.

"Crow." Natalie and Edmund bid there friends a 'see-you-soon' and walked off toward the library. "So what should we do to keep us entertained, while we wait for the snowfall to stop?"

"I can think of a couple things we could do..." Edmund grinned lecherously as he pulled her to him, kissing her cheek.

Natalie laughed, slapping his chest lightly. "Down, boy!" She smiled. "I suggest something like chess or cards or something, something other than _that_..." Natalie flushed. He had been becoming a bit more forward these past few days.

"Aww, but it's my favorite activity with you..." Edmund proved to Natalie that he was very much related to Lucy.

"That's Lucy's look! You can't take it!" Natalie protested. She could never say no to a Pevensie when they pulled out the pouty-puppy-dog-eyes-of-doom on her. "Ed, you're not being fair!" Natalie unleashed her own puppy-dog look that she had given to her brother once upon a time. Edmund blinked in surprise, finding the look on her too adorable.

"Oh my gosh, I think you beat us," he laughed, pulling her closer and snagging her pouting bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling on them tenderly. Natalie smiled into the kiss, letting her eyes shut and sliding her arms around his neck, playing with his hair, messing it up. "It took me all morning to get my hair to stay in one place," Edmund whined as he pulled away, taking a breath of air.

"I like it better this way," Natalie smiled, combing her fingers through his soft dark hair.

Edmund's eyes began to drift shut in bliss. Before he knew it, he was standing there Natalie-less and looked about to find her a few feet down the hall, facing him with a cheeky smile. "Hey!"

"Come on, slow-poke!" She teased him.

"I'll show _you _slow!" Edmund growled playfully and took off after her. Natalie shrieked in mock-fear and sprinted away.

"'Scuse me!" Natalie dodged a fawn servant who gasped and pressed himself against the wall of the hallway in almost fear for his life.

"G'morning!" Edmund ran by with a wave and the fawn's eyes nearly bugged out.

Natalie ran into the library, for once thankful that Professor Marcus wasn't there. "Hah! I made it first!" She cheered, and gasped when she felt Edmund catch her and pull her close to him front behind, a gentle hold on her arms.

"So you did," Edmund acknowledged, circling her with his arms and pulling her further against him.

Natalie swallowed hard, trying to wet her dry throat as his hands slipped down her arms, he drew one of his hands over, caressing her stomach while the other drew circles on her wrist. "Um..." Natalie tried to focus. "Ah- we should um... play something?"

"We _are _playing something..." Edmund countered in a whisper by her ear. He took the hand caressing her wrist and pulled back her hair, kissing her ear gently. Natalie shivered and her toes curled as he kissed his way down her neck.

"Wh-What about chess?" Natalie suggested, her eyes rolling slightly from the intoxication of his mouth on her.

"Mm," Edmund responded simply, experimentally licking her pulse-point softly.

"..." Natalie felt her head lull back slightly. She turned her head, giving him more access and melting in his arms. "Ed..." she sighed, her eyes shutting in bliss. It was when she began to feel his hand creeping up from her belly, caressing his way just below her breasts that she found herself returning to Earth, or Narnia, as it were. She bit her lip and very reluctantly pulled away from him, grateful that he made no move to keep her still. She turned and smiled bashfully, tucking a loose strand of her wavy hair behind her ear nervously. "Chess?" she offered weakly.

Edmund stood there silently, that intense gaze never wavering and making her feel like he was undressing her with his eyes. He normally had beautiful eyes, like the rich brown color of a spruce tree, outlined by a winter's morning, but now they seemed as black as oil, with his pupils dilated. It made her feel both alive and terrified at the same time. She relaxed when he seemed to come to as well, his eyes returning to normal and an amused smile lifting his incredibly kissable lips. "Never knew chess interested you so much..." he teased. He walked over and sat on the couch, pulling a square trunk from under a table and opening it to reveal the marble chess set. He placed it on the table and smiled again as Natalie sat across from him, the blush still on her cheeks.

As they played chess, it was clear that they were both distracted. They each did all they could to 'accidentally' touch each other. A brush of the fingers as they moved pieces around the board, a nudge from a foot, and all the while they managed to remain silent, smiles playing on their lips. Neither of them were winning quite yet. It shouldn't have surprised Natalie too much when Edmund pushed the chess board aside and leaned in, catching her lips with his. It also shouldn't have come to a surprise when he pulled away only to slide onto the chair next to her and brush her cheek with his knuckles gently before leaning in to kiss her again.

What really surprised her was her own actions as she pressed a little closer and slipped a hand under the hem of his shirt. Edmund shifted closer, pulling her onto his lap once more and running _his _hands through _her _hair this time. Natalie felt his own hands trailing up her body, once again pausing just under her chest. She smiled into the kiss and pulled away slightly. "See, this is what I was trying to avoid, earlier..." she told him.

"I'm sorry," Edmund smiled back. "I can't help myself around you anymore," he shrugged.

"I'm a bit worried over your... over _our _control... if we keep it up, well..." Natalie blushed.

"I suppose you're right," Edmund sighed, but smiled to let her know he wasn't too disappointed. He lead her over to the couch and they did as Caspian had mentioned they might have been doing, snuggling. They stared into the crackling hearth until they dozed off. Caspian and Lucy walked into the library, about two hours later, finding them once again asleep on the couch.

"See? Told you they would just be snuggling," Lucy stuck her tongue out at him.

"Hm, and what about that?" Caspian pointed to Natalie's neck.

"What is that?" Lucy frowned curiously. "It looks like a bruise? Did he-!" Her eyes widen. "Did they have a fight?!"

"No," Caspian struggled to keep from laughing out loud. Lucy seemed just as innocent as she was in the past. "It's called a love-bite..."

"You mean, Edmund _bit _her?" Lucy scrunched up her nose. "That's a bit barbaric..." She rolled her eyes. "But I guess it fits him," she shrugged. "Should we wake them?"

"Yes, if we don't it could start snowing again," Caspian nodded and leaned over to shake them awake.

"What?" Natalie jumped, startled and blinked up sleepily at Caspian. "Caspian?"

"Wake up you two, it stopped snowing," the oldest answered.

"Yay..." Edmund answered without an ounce of enthusiasm, his eyes still closed. He smiled when Natalie squeezed his hand. Looking over at them he saw Caspian's expectant expression and Lucy's hopeful one and rolled his eyes. "I'm up, I'm up..." he sighed, letting himself get dragged to his feet as Lucy pulled him up.

"Come on! Let's go!" She said excitedly.

"It's as though you've never seen snow before, Lu," he chuckled.

"I've never met anyone quite as excited over the stuff as you, Lu," Natalie added. The four raced each other outside, into the courtyard where there was plenty of snow accumulated this time. They spent most of the time building two forts before having a snowball war, the girls against the guys once again. After they were drenched again, they went back inside, shivering from the cold. They sat at the dining table after lunch, sipping on hot chocolate and just talking and laughing. It was a surprise to them when the four of them found themselves all in the library that evening, sitting by the fire and telling stories of their childhood. Even Natalie felt like she could be a bit more open, not feeling the withering pain that came with talking about her past so much any more.

She told them a story that she had remembered hearing her mother tell her, a little bit before the accident. Her brother had been very little and at the time. They had a little white puppy who her brother was sure was able to fly. So he took the puppy, set it on the windowsill, and pushed him off! "How awful!" Lucy had gasped. Natalie assured her that the puppy only suffered a broken foot that managed to heal okay. Her brother had learned a valuable lesson but in the end they could not keep the dog. That story was one of the last time she had spent with her whole family together, on one of her brother's visits from college. She had tears in her eyes as she told the story, but a happy smile on her face anyway. At least she could feel happy over the good memories now.

After dinner, Edmund, as per usual, offered to walk Natalie to her room. Natalie still found that a bit amusing, though she knew now he did it because he wanted to spend as much time with her as he could. The walk down the empty hall was met with silence. It wasn't exactly a bad silence, but nor was it a very good one either. It was a familiar silence, laced with tension. They both remembered the kiss goodnight they had the night before. Natalie had felt the strain in Edmund's body as he very reluctantly pulled away that night. She had felt her own body drawn to him like a magnet as he stepped away. She knew now if he did that again, she wouldn't be able to stop so easily, and she was _sure _he wouldn't be able to.

Her heart raced as her door got closer and the silence just got all the heavier. Heart hammering away, she was sure he could hear it. She jumped slightly, startled out of her musing when she felt his hand take her's. She blinked back into focus and realized they had stopped by her door at last. Natalie bit her lip, keeping her eyes averted from his in a familiar shyness. She felt his gentle hand cup her cheek, lifting her to face him, but her eyes remained averted. "Look at me," he all but cooed softly, drawing his thumb over her cheekbone and stepping closer. Natalie took a breath and shifted her eyes up to look into his. One look, and she was trapped, hypnotized into his entrancing gaze. Edmund smiled and leaned in, his hair brushing her forehead as he teased her, his lips just hovering out of her reach, so close, yet not close enough. He wet his lips with his tongue, watching her eyes drift down to them. Natalie leaned in but Edmund pulled away again, just out of her reach. "Kiss me," he commanded softly.

Natalie made a soft sound of frustration, one hand curling over the front of his shirt, while the other slipped into his hair, running her fingers through it as she lifted herself up on her toes, pulling him closer. Edmund smiled teasingly, moving his head slightly so she caught his cheek when she leaned in again. "Ed," she sighed, clear frustration in her tone.

"Nat?" Edmund teased.

"Let me kiss you," she demanded him in a whisper. Natalie watched as his eyes darkened once more, his pupils dilating.

"Ask me nicely..." he said in a low tone.

"Please let me kiss you?" She obeyed, her other hand sliding down from his hair to grip his shoulder. Edmund smiled in approval and surprised her by crushing his lips to her's in a needful kiss. His tongue slipped between her lips, coaxing her to part them for him. Natalie eagerly did so, swallowing a moan of satisfaction as he deepened the kiss, tilting her head to the side to further explore his enticing mouth. She again felt herself pressed against a wall, or rather, between two walls, one slightly harder than the other. Natalie was too enraptured by the intense kiss to notice how dirty that fleeting thought was, and how _true _it was as well. "Ed..." Natalie gasped, pulling away in surprise, feeling how excited he was against her belly.

It was Edmund who bit his lip this time, trying hard not to moan when she trailed her hand down to his stomach, seemingly simply curious than naughty. All the same, it did wicked things to his body... but he didn't have the willpower to stop her. "Nat..." Edmund gasped, shudders as she hesitantly moved a bit further down, just above the bulge in his pants. He wasn't sure whether to be grievously disappointed or enormously relieved when she pulled her hand away, as if she had burned it, a deep flush tainting her face and neck.

"I-I'm sorry..." Natalie stampered.

"Don't be, please don't be, I... Nat, you drive me mad, do you know that? Do you know how many sleepless nights I have, just thinking about you?" He asked her desperately, trying to make her understand how much he felt for her, how much he wanted more of her but was too afraid to scare her away.

"I... do know... because I feel the same..." Natalie admitted, her head ducking slightly, bashfully.

"Nat," Edmund sighed, taking is hand and caressing her neck. "Tell me to go to my room, please, send me away _now_, or I'll just follow you into yours..." he warned her. Natalie's eyes widened. If that wasn't an offer to spend the night together, she didn't know what was. She knew this day would come, she just thought it would be a bit further down the road. Surely a week of dating wasn't enough time before... this? Right? But then again, they had been really beating around the bush about this for almost a month, they had been drifting closer to each other each day. It was inevitable that this would happen, and honestly, she had also been waiting for it.

"I..." Natalie's bottom lip quivered, memories of delicious kisses and images of fantasies crossing her mind in that moment. She bit them and Edmund's eyes immediately moved down to them, watching her bottom lip disappear between her teeth. Natalie didn't say anything, she _couldn't _say anything. Last month she would have laughed the face of whoever told her she would be in this position in the future. Two weeks ago she would have ran for her life screaming bloody murder... well, perhaps not that, but she certainly wouldn't have believed it. But now... now that she got to experience this whole new side of life, this part of life that brought her pleasure and joy... who was she to deny it? If she was brought to this world to heal, there were certainly worse ways of doing so.

Edmund's eyes widened in surprise when Natalie took his hand, pulling him with her into her room. This was the last thing he expected, but he wasn't about to start complaining. He knew, of course, that this was a _big _step for both of them, - funny how they _just_ officially declared themselves boyfriend and girlfriend, - he knew that neither of them were exactly experienced in this sort of thing. Edmund didn't take this lightly, he didn't, he _wouldn't _do this with just anyone. He just could not think of anyone else he would rather give himself to, not even the most attractive people he had seen back 'home' could have made him want this so badly with them. No, it was always going to be Natalie Valentine. A part of him knew it the moment he saw her clearly for the first time, it was _always _going to be her. Edmund shut the door behind him. Neither of them stopped as they drew close to each other, not letting nerves and inexperience make them stop awkwardly, they would take this on the go, let instinct and whatever felt right take them forward.

Natalie slipped her hand up his chest, feeling the hard muscle underneath. She had fantasized about this with him so many times now, part of her even thought she was dreaming right now. But the Edmund in her dreams never felt this real, this warm, this urgent. She felt his hands slide up her back and he pulled her close, his fingers fumbling with the strings that held her dress tied up tight. As his hands worked to undo her dress, he leaned in, craning his head to kiss her exposed collar. Natalie drew her head back, letting giving him access to more of her neck. She sighed in pleasure as she felt his tongue follow her pulse-point up her neck, stopping only to devour her lips as he finished untying her dress.

Natalie pulled from the kiss abruptly, smiling reassuringly at his startled look. She beckoned him toward her as she backed up toward her bed. Edmund followed, kicking his shoes off and shrugging his shirt off. Natalie had very little time to admire him before his lips captured her's again. Natalie continued to back up with him, their lips only separating so she could help him slip her dress off completely, leaving her half naked. They fell upon the bed, taking their time exploring each other, every curve, every line, taking care to keep as quiet as they could, to not wake the castle. Edmund kissed the tears from her eyes, whispering apologies and soothing words until her pain turned to ecstasy, as they lost themselves in an act older than time. When they succumbed to exhaustion, they lay in each others arms in blissful silence. No words were needed to be spoken between them. Sleep came easily to them, drifting into blissful slumber, feeling the strongest most complete sense of satisfaction they had ever felt, a satisfaction on multiple levels.

It was very late that night when Edmund woke with a start. Disorientation was the first thing he felt, but the second was the warm body pressed against him. Memories of what had transpired between he and Natalie rushed to the front of his mind and he felt a twinge of excitement force him to reign in a control of his thoughts. He took a couple deep breaths to calm himself down before venturing glance down at the woman in his arms. He relaxed, sighing in relief when he didn't _react_ to her, at least, not quite as strongly as before. He smiled, dragging his knuckles along her arm gently. Natalie frowned slightly in her sleep and then curled up closer to him, settling in more comfortably against his chest.

"Nat?" Edmund whispered into the dark room.

"Mm? Ed?" Natalie blinked awake and gasped slightly. "What are you-" Edmund could barely see in the darkness of the room, but he could still make out the wheels turning in her mind. He grinned down at her, waiting for her to catch up and laughed quietly when she blushed and smiled shyly. "Hi..." she greeted him.

"Hello, beautiful," he smiled, leaning in to catch her lips in a gentle kiss, very different from the kiss that had started this.

"What's wrong? You want to... again?" Natalie questioned with a deep blush.

"Maybe another time, real soon..." Edmund answered with a chuckle.

"Then why..?" Natalie tilted her head to the side, puzzled.

"I should probably head to my room... I don't want to have to face Caspian and Lucy this morning if we both leave the same room..." He answered with his own blush.

"...Alright..." Natalie agreed unenthusiastically.

"Don't worry, this will definitely not be the last time you'll be waking up to me..." Edmund promised with a suggestive grin. Natalie bit her lip, blushing harder and unable to meet his gaze. "You're so cute when you get all shy," he smiled. "I should go before you make me lose control again..." he teased, sitting up in bed and sliding his legs over the edge of the bed.

"You do that just fine on your own," Natalie countered. Edmund chuckled and stood, the sheets slipping off of him. Natalie gaped for a second before she jerked her gaze away, her eyes wide and the blush turning her as red as a fire-truck.

"You've already seen more of me than this," Edmund commented with a soft laugh, even though he too felt incredibly shy inwardly. It wouldn't be very Kingly of him to not put up a brave front though, would it? He slipped his trousers back on and turned to the woman he had thoroughly satisfied, if he didn't say so himself. He could almost hear Caspian telling him not to be so prideful and shook his head. He was turning into his brother! "Nat, I'm 'decent', you can look at me now..." he smiled.

"You're more than decent," Natalie answered softly, hesitantly looking back up at him.

"Thank you," Edmund grinned. He walked over and leaned over the bed, capturing her lips in a slow, coveted kiss. She pulled at his bottom lip as they ended the kiss unwillingly. "Good night, Nat," he whispered, kissing her one last time before he took the rest of his clothes and slipped out of her room as stealthily as he could. Natalie lay back against her bed, staring up at the ceiling and sighed longingly. She already missed him. Edmund all but threw himself on his bed, mirroring Natalie's sentiment exactly, a frown on his lips at how cold and uninviting his own bed suddenly seemed. As before, their hearts were as one with the desire to be with each other. All the same, they forced themselves to fall back asleep, craving each other as sleep claimed them mercifully.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: My longest chapter yet! Just so you know, it was 5 in the morning when I finished writing this chapter...

_Now _they completely snapped. I hope this chapter pleased some of you lol it definitely went above and beyond what ya'll were requesting! If enough of you ask for it, I might write a separate "mature" version of this chapter, and yes, I _do _have experience writing mature, if you couldn't already tell...

Hopefully the length of the chapter makes up for the wait! You guys probably won't believe this, but this entire chapter was something I had not planned at all. I hadn't even had it in the outline! I just decided Edmund and Natalie needed a bit more progress in their relationship. What I had written before left with wanting I believe.

I was listening to "Let It Be" by Blackmill while writing this chapter... not sure if the lyrics match, but the melody of the track worked for me lol. "Like a Virgin" by Madonna seems to fit too! LMAO! I'm kidding!

Shout-Out:

**Guest**: Dirty jokes are fun to write! I sometimes laugh out loud of the silliness of the things I write. They made even MORE progress this chapter, eh?

**narnias no.1fan**: The tension finally got to them, didn't it?

**Daisy54154**: I'm very glad you love it! I hope you liked this chapter too!


	27. Chapter 26

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N**: Warning blood, violence and mild language!

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Far away, in another country, a caravan of Telmarine men made their way down an old road through an ancient forest, in the middle of the night. 'Why did I decide to go now? And why come down this way? There are better ways of getting to Archenland... but this road... _called_ to me...' The caravan leader, Rojed, thought anxiously. The trek down the dusty road was silent for the most part, too quiet for Rojed's taste, not even a bird chirped. All of a sudden the caravan stopped and Rojed looked around. "What's going on?" he asked, but none of his guard spoke, they merely stood and stared slack-jawed at something down the road.

Rojed turned and saw what men gaped at. "What in Aslan's green country is _that_?" An enormous wolf-like creature stood before them, blocking the way, it's body covered in messy black fur and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth grinning at them. "Werewolf!"

"Begone! Beast!" One of Rojed's personal guards suddenly shouted.

"No! Don't provoke it!" Rojed hissed, but his men ignored him and drew their swords, walking over to the monstrosity. The beast launched forward faster than they had ever seen anything move and ripped the guard's throat, tearing his head clean off and splattering the man's blood all over the horses. "Everyone get _back_!" Rojed screamed, yanking on his horse's reins, trying to get the frozen animal to move, but the poor beast was too terrified to move. All around him, he saw his men try in vain to defend the caravan, trying to fight the monster, but to no avail. By the end of it, the grass was stained red.

Rojed thought he was going to be the next bloody victim when the monster charged at him, but instead, he felt his neck and jaw grabbed. The next thing he knew he felt a vile liquid being poured down his throat. He tried to struggle against the werewolf's vice-like grip, but was unable to do anything. Once all of the liquid was drained from the small vial, the werwolf let him go. Rojed felt his body convulse as he was brought to his knees by the drug he was given. Before long, he felt himself collapse to the floor and lay still. At first nothing happened, but then after a few minutes, his vision blurred and he saw fog all around him.

A figure cloaked in white stepped from the fog and walked over to him. "Greetings to you, noble man... I am Jadis, the rightful Queen of Narnia," the figure said gently, kneeling next to him. Rojed could not move anything but his eyes, and could not speak, so Jadis did the speaking for him. "My position of wrongly taken from me by the, so-called, Kings and Queens of 'Old'... they stole my _gentle _rule..." she told him, poisoning his mind with her words. Rojed tried to struggle weakly, tried to speak, but his body would not cooperate. He felt confused, felt she spoke lies, but felt his control slipping. "What is your name?"

Rojed suddenly found himself able to speak. "R-Rojed," he answered weakly. "What... what do you... want from me?" he asked in a scratchy voice, as if he hadn't spoken in years.

"Oh you would be a great help to me, noble Rojed! All you have to do is follow my friend and let him take just a single drop of blood from you, that's all I ask. Then you will be free to go, of course," Jadis said, continuing to use her most gentle tone.

"I... I will do so..." Rojed promised, feeling in his heart that this was wrong but unable to go against it.

"Good, very good..." Jadis sneered.

"Where... where are you goin?" Roject rasped, trying to move closer to her as she faded away. "Come back... my Queen!" He very suddenly felt himself lifted off the ground by the werewolf and carried off. It was several hours until the werewolf stopped and unceremoniously dropped him on a stone table. "What's... what's going on?" Rojed could still not move his limps but was able to look around slightly better. He saw that he was close to Archenland, it's lush forests and rolling hills all around. He lay in the center of what looked like an ancient place of worship, stone statues of a beautiful woman all around him in a circle. In the far end of the monument was an archway of what looked like a pure, thick, sheet of ice.

"Greetings, Rojed..." The familiar voice of Jadis spoke from the ice. Rojed looked over and his eyes widened. This was impossible! Wasn't it? How was she able to move and speak inside of a block of ice? And how was that ice not melting? "Are you ready to serve me?" she asked him in a kind voice.

"N-N-Y-_Yes_..." Rojed answered without being able to say otherwise.

"Good... With your sacrifice I can finally exact revenge on the little brats that did this to me!" Jadis laughed.

"S-Sacrifice?" Rojed gaped.

Jadis ignored him. "Dinris, you know what to do..." he spoke to the werewolf.

The monster sneered at Rojed, who's eyes widened in horror as the beast bared his teeth and lunged at his throat. "N-No! Sto-"

Early the next morning, Edmund Pevensie tossed in his sleep, writhing in bed as a horrible nightmare plagued his mind.

_Edmund was ten again. He was in a chamber of ice, chained to the floor. Next to him was someone else, their head covered with a sack. He stood to his feet, trying desperately to keep the terror from his face._

"_Tell me where your brother and sisters are, Edmund, and I'll let you be my King!"_

"_No!" Edmund strained against his bonds, glaring at the evil woman before him. "I won't! I'll die first!" He growled in his child-like voice._

"_Silly boy, you won't be the one dying this day... but your friend here, on the other hand..." Jadis walked over to the person chained next to Edmund and pulled the hood off. It was Natalie!_

"_Edmund! Help me!" Natalie's wrists and ankles were bonded together. She struggled against her bindings and flinched away from the wolf that trotted over, baring his teeth at her._

"_Let her go!" Edmund snarled, the sound of metal clanging heard as he tried hopelessly to pull free, but too weak and pathetic to do anything._

"_I warned you, little King, I told you there would be consequences to defying me!" The witch sneered, before raising her blade and bringing it down toward Natalie..._

"NO!" Edmund shot up from bed, the world spinning and his breath coming out in gasps as his heart assaulted his ribcage. "What?" He panted, looking around himself wildly, his sheets tangled around him. After a few moments he realized it was just a dream. "Oh..." he made a fist and pressed it against the bridge of his nose and forehead, squeezing his eyes tight, trying to get the throbbing in his head to go away. He hadn't had a dream like that in weeks... But now _she_ was a part of his nightmares too! He could still picture the look of utter horror on Natalie's face as the White Witch swung her sword at her. "It's a good thing that _bitch_ is dead..." he growled to himself. But then, why did that dream feel so real to him? Why could he still hear her scream? ...Wait, he _did _hear a scream! But it wasn't Natalie, what was going on?

"Your highness!" Edmund jumped, startled slightly and instinctively pulling his sword he kept on his night-stand out toward the intruder. It was one of the council members. The man yelped in fear as the sword's edge came very close to slicing his throat open.

Edmund relaxed slightly and lowered his sword. "What's going on?" He demanded, sheathing the blade.

"Forgive me, my Lord!" The Telmarine bowed, averting his gaze. "Please, come with me! Something has happened to Lord Caspian!"

"Take me to him," Edmund threw his covers off and pulled his breaches that lay on a chair near his bed on. He snatched a shirt as he followed the older man out and put it on as they ran down the hall. What could have happened to spook this mad so badly? And what was that scream? Were Natalie and Lucy okay? He knew it was a scream from a woman, he just couldn't identify it. Reaching Caspian's chambers, Edmund was half relieved when the one that screamed was a servant girl. She was gaping at the bed in the far wall of the room. Edmund looked over and his own eyes widened.

Caspian lay on his bed, blood all over his arm and his skin a sickly blueish pale color, as if his blood had been drained from his veins. The doctor was kneeling over him, examining him. "Doctor, report!" Edmund demanded, walking over.

"He is well, your highness, better than he appears. He lost only a little blood, not nearly as much as it appears he did, but here feel his skin," The doctor gestured him to come closer. Edmund walked over and placed a hand on his friend's arm, retracting it in surprise seconds later.

"It feels like ice!" Edmund gasped.

"Yes. My prognosis is, well, he appears to have been frozen somehow. He's still alive, but barely," the doctor finished.

"Frozen? Can you do anything for him?" Edmund asked.

"I'm afraid not, but perhaps the young Queen can? She has an Aslan-given gift to save lives, does she not?" The old man asked softly.

"Right, of course," Edmund nodded and turned to the servant girl. "Get Queen Lucy at once," he told her, watching her run out. He then turned to the council member. "I want you to tell me _exactly _what happened," he demanded.

"Yes, Sire. I had come over to wake the Lord for a discussion on the harvest season, but when I came in, his majesty was not awake. Instead, the room was dark... I did however see a shadow slip from the window. I ran over and found the King as he is now," the man told him.

"A traitor?" Edmund's brows furrowed.

"I believe so, my Lord. I also found this," he handed Edmund a note scrawled in blood, most likely Caspian's the traitor had used.

Edmund read the note aloud. "Winter will soon come again..." His heart felt as though it were about to stop. "Winter..." He knew the winter it spoke of was not referring to the actual season. But that was impossible! He killed her! She couldn't be coming back! There _had _to be another explanation for this! "I want answers."

Meanwhile, Natalie winced from the pain as she got up from bed that morning. 'Ow, what hurts?' She wondered, but then a memory of what she and her _boyfriend_ had done last night made her realize exactly what and why she was hurting. Her cheeks flushed as she stood from her bed and turned. Her eyes widening at the signs of what had happened last night on the bed. She hoped the maids that cleaned her room wouldn't make such a big deal out of it, she would be beyond embarrassed if one of them brought it up to Caspian, Lucy _or _Edmund. Maybe if she left a note? A rapid knock startled her out of her thoughts and she rushed to slip her robe on.

Opening her door she found a frantic-looking Lucy. "Something happened to Caspian! Come on!" She grabbed Natalie's hand hand pulled her out.

"Wait! Let me get something other than a robe on first!" Natalie blushed.

"Alright but please hurry!" Lucy answered urgently. Natalie rushed about her room, pulling on everything Edmund had taken off of her the night before and trying very hard not to take a trip down memory lane as she did so. Once properly clothed, she ran out of her room to join Lucy.

"What's going on?" Natalie demanded.

"Not sure! A servant girl just told me Caspian could be dying and they needed my healing cordial!" Lucy answered. The girls arrived breathlessly to Caspian's chambers and gasped in shock at the image of the King looking like he was in his death bed. Lucy ran over and hurriedly opened her cordial, leaning next to Caspian and letting a drop out into Caspian's slightly parted lips. They waited impatiently for something to happen, anything... but nothing did.

"No change..." Lucy swallowed fearfully. "How could it have not worked?" she asked.

"...It's... it's in Aslan's hands, now..." Edmund muttered gravely.

"Is... is he going to _die?_" Natalie asked, her face pale with worry.

"No way of telling, but so far he hasn't seemed to have gotten any worse," he answered softly. "I sent scouts out to look for the traitor and look for answers, we'll just have to wait," he added. "No use stressing over it right now, right?"

Natalie could see the worry in his eyes, even as he said that. She reached over and took his hand, feeling him relax slightly and seeing his eyes soften a fraction as he smiled down at her. "Come on, we should let the doctor work in peace..." she suggested. Edmund nodded and the three left the room. They spent the rest of the day checking in on Caspian every now and then, and trying to make time go faster by playing cards or chess or things like that, though it wasn't working all that well. Neither Edmund nor Natalie had the chance to speak of what they did the night before, but perhaps right now was not the best time anyway. Besides, this would also give them a chance to find the right words... that is, if they even managed to think about that during this time of crisis.

Late that afternoon, Edmund, Lucy, and Natalie found themselves in their usual seats at the dining table. The servants served them lunch, but the food on the table was getting cold now. None of them had the appetite to eat, too worried about what had happened to Caspian and what might be happening in Narnia. It wasn't fifteen minutes later when one of the Generals walked in, a solemn look in his face. He stopped by them and bowed.

"Reports are coming in from all of Narnia, my Lord," the Telmarine General said. Edmund stood, eager to hear what the man had to say. Lucy and Natalie walked over, wanting to hear as clearly as they could as well. "There seems to be a powerful magic corrupting man and beast alike, Sire. In particular, it is luring them to a single spot, some ways near Archenland. Wherever that magic touches, the ground turns to ice and snow covers the land..." The General squirmed slightly under the intensity of Edmund's stare.

"...And the _source _of this magic?" The younger man asked.

"Unknown, Sire, though some _have _reported seeing a figure cloaked in white," the General answered.

"What was this 'figure' doing?" Lucy asked carefully.

"Reports say she has been directing all manner of grotesque beasts the likes of which haven't been seen in Narnian for centuries to a single spot..." The General said gravely.

"A figure cloaked in white?" Edmund muttered, still absorbed in that particular detail, his blood running cold.

"What will we do now, Ed?" Lucy asked, turning to her still stunned brother. "Ed?

Edmund shook his head to clear it. "We do what we always do when something like this happens. We prepare for the worst... I just wish Peter were here..."

"You'll do great, Ed! You've always been an amazing leader in your own way and you're the best warrior in Narnia, you'll be fine!" Lucy smiled weakly, reassuring him as best she could.

"Thanks, Lu, that... that really means a lot to me," Edmund smiled affectionately and pulled his sister in for a hug.

"Ed, air... I need it!" Lucy playfully protested, though her arms were wrapped just as tightly around her brother.

"Your orders, my King?" the General asked gently, unwilling to break the mood, but needing to.

"Right," Edmund cleared his throat. He straightened and thought for a moment before turning to give the General a serious look. "Send your best scouts out and look for the traitor. When you found him, bring him to me for questioning. Then search Narnia for answers. I want to know what is going on _yesterday, _understood?"

"It will be done, Sire! Anything else?" The soldier asked.

"We don't know what will happen now until the scouts return. I want a call to go out to ever able-bodied man, woman, and Narnian to prepare for war," Edmund told the General.

"At once, my King!" The General bowed and jogged out of the room.

Edmund ran a hand through his hair, the familiar look of illness in his eyes. The girls knew what was on his mind and look on at him sadly. Natalie reached over, taking his hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. Edmund looked over at her again and nodded to her in thanks, sliding his thumb over her knuckles.

Lucy watched them quietly, feeling like she was almost intruding. "I'm going to go check on Caspian," she mentioned, figuring Natalie could take care of her brother well enough now. It pained her to not be the one trying to comfort him like she used to when he thought of the White Witch, but could understand that he would be seeking Natalie's comfort now more. It was the natural course of things and she respected that.

Natalie looked up. "Me too," she said, giving Edmund's hand one last reassuring squeeze before standing to follow.

"I guess we're all going..." Edmund agreed, following the girls out. They walked in silence to Caspian's room. When they got there, the doctor was there as well, checking on his patient at the same time they decided to again. They walked over, greeting the doctor soberly and stood by Caspian's bed.

"Poor Caspian..." Natalie muttered, brushing his loose hair he normally wore in a tight pony-tail from his forehead.

"How is he?" Lucy asked worriedly, turning tearful eyes to the old man.

"Still no change, my dear Queen..." The doctor reported. "But that is not necessarily a bad thing either, at leas he had not gotten any worse?"

"That may be true, but I would prefer he got better. Do everything you can, doctor," Edmund told him.

"I will do my best, young Master," the doctor bowed.

When dinner rolled around, the scouts had yet to get back. Worry was very evident in their faces as they sat, trying to force food in, even if their appetites had not returned. Edmund in particular seemed stressed beyond belief. If what he feared was happening was truly the case, he would have to once again lead an army into battle, this time with no one but his generals to aid him. He would _not _let Lucy and Natalie risk their lives, he would make sure of that. The sound of the door opening revealed one of the scouts that Edmund had sent earlier that day, a tawny wolf, who's fur was made even more crimson with his own blood.

"What happened?" Edmund demanded, sitting up in his seat.

The wolf walked over, shrugging off the help of one of the guards. "I was... unable to... find the traitor, Sire..." the wolf groaned in pain. "It seems they had... sacrificed a Terlmarine... to..."

"Bring back the witch?" Edmund finished with a deep frown. 'It's... it's just as I thought but... but it just can't be...' he thought woefully.

"Yes, Sire," the wolf's ears flattened. "They're mobilizing a force..."

"That doesn't surprise me," Edmund scoffed. "I was so sure I had killed her once and for all..." he muttered, collapsing back into his seat in emotional exhaustion. His eyes wide, face pale, and a look of utter devastation in his face.

"They'll be... here within three days time. They seemed to be heading toward... the Fords of Beruna..." The wolf reported.

Edmund nodded slowly. "Go get yourself to the infirmary," he told the wolf, who bowed as best he could before limping away. Natalie and Lucy remained silent, watching Edmund as he sat, deep in thought, a far away look in his eyes. Abruptly he stood and walked away from the dining table, heading toward what the girls assumed was either the training court or the library. Moments later, Natalie stood as well and followed. Soon after, Lucy followed as well, not wanting to spend any time away from her brother if there was to be a battle.

The girls found Edmund sitting on the couch silently staring into the fireplace. They walked over and sat by him, a mutual look of sadness on their faces when Edmund didn't seem to register that they were there with him. They were slightly taken off guard when he suddenly pulled them both to him, hugging them to him. The kind elderly Professor, Marcus Levant, watched them from his desk sadly, both women on either side of the young King with his arms wrapped around them both. He watched them doze off in front of the fire and didn't have the heart to get them to go to their beds. So much had happened recently, they deserved to be comfortable with each other, at least for tonight. Tomorrow would be the start of trouble, they needed their rest.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I took a while to update because I was being greedy and wanted more reviews lol. Also, this chapter was a bit complicated to write. I had to show the new relationship between Edmund and Natalie, but also show tension and fear for what is to come. Hah, and you thought the drama was over! 'Fraid not! Also, you should know I altered the last couple chapters to fit in the last chapter's... activities, which worked out really well, I think! Now their "being together" has resonating consequences that will effect their future... muahaha!

Shout-Out:

**Guest**: What? Twenty-five chapters too short a time for them to build up to that stage in their relationship? I've read stories that had the main characters get busy shortly after they met! Happens in the movies all the time. One month of becoming friends and falling for each other isn't long enough to become lovers? Answer me that lol. I might just make an M rated version of the story for those interested, not sure, I'll see how the story fairs once I finish it. Also, you need to be a bit more patient lol.

**narnias no.1fan**: I know, right? Lol XD

**Allie Danger**: I was planning on saving this chapter for tomorrow, but you convinced me! I hope you enjoyed it!


	28. Chapter 27

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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The sun had not yet completely risen over the horizon when Edmund was shaken awake gently. "Wha?" He blinked awake and saw a blurry image of a horse standing in front of him. What? Slipping his arm from Natalie's shoulder very carefully, he rubbed his eyes and looked up again.

"It is good to see you again, my Lord," the centaur smiled.

"Ore-" Edmund frowned, not remembering completely the centaur's name.

"Orecar, Sire," the centaur answered.

"Right, sorry," the young King nodded. "What's going on?"

"It took the night and part of this morning, but the Narnians have answered your call, Lord, your troops are ready to march," Orecar told him.

"Right, thank you," Edmund nodded again and slowly, cautiously, pulled the girls that still slumbered against him off. He stood, making as little noise as he could, and walked over to Marcus' desk, getting a quill and parchment. He left the girls a note and had the centaur lead the way to prepare for battle.

When Natalie woke up, a few hours later, she was disorientated for a moment. Why wasn't she in her room? Then she remembered the threat of another war and the rise of the White Witch, a fiendish, evil woman she had read about and heard talk about so often before. Feat gripped her and she looked around the room, but Edmund, it seemed, had left some time ago. "Where-" she noticed a parchment on the table near the couch and reached over, taking it. She turned to her friend who was still asleep. "Lucy, wake up," Natalie said, shaking her friend's shoulder gently.

"Hm? What?" Lucy blinked awake and looked around. "Edmund?" She questioned.

"He left us a note," Natalie showed her it. "It says he left early to prepare, said we should go down to breakfast and that he'll join us when he can..." she told her.

"Then we should go," Lucy stretched and stood with Natalie. Their pace was a bit hurried as they made it down to breakfast, intending on eating quickly and checking on Caspian before they got any information out of Edmund. Half-way through their breakfast, however, Edmund walked into the room, decked out in partial armor with a strange crown-like helmet on his head. He looked every bit a King going off to war and it only served to solidify the girls' fear that there really was a war and there really was a chance they could lose Edmund this time.

"Good morning," he said, his tone a little bit colder than they were used to hearing, though at a time like this it wasn't so unusual. Edmund sat at his seat and ate as quickly as he could. Natalie frowned slightly, Edmund hadn't once looked at either of them since he walked in.

"Ed? What's wrong?" Lucy asked, also noticing his distance from them.

Edmund set his plate aside and stood, giving them a severe, calculating look. "Lucy, as before, I want you to stay here and look after Narnia. Natalie I want you to help her again, understood?" he demanded, leaving no room for argument. Natalie would have none of it this time, however.

"What?" She said, standing to her feet and ignoring her chair that toppled over behind her with the sudden movement. "I will do no such thing!" She snapped.

"Natalie. There's no time to argue, please just do as I say," Edmund frowned, but Natalie was being especially stubborn that day.

"I've been training for _weeks _to be a bigger help to my new home. I will _not _just sit by twiddling my thumbs again while you risk your neck!" She glared at him.

"You would rather you risk your _own _neck?" Edmund asked incredulously.

"Yes!" Natalie deadpanned.

"Well I would _not!_" Edmund yelled.

"Too bad! I'm going!" Natalie snapped.

"No you're not!" Edmund's voice steadily began to increase in volume but Natalie would not back down. What was up with this girl? Any other girl would have submitted to him by now, at least, girls he knew of, from Narnia and back in the 40's... but she wasn't like those women, was she?

"Why not! You have to be so stubborn and refuse help even when _we_, Lucy and I, can be a big help to you! I may not be that great at sword-fighting yet but I can still defend myself!" Natalie argued.

"No!" Edmund shouted, his fists tightening in agitation.

"Why NOT?" Natalie demanded.

"I love you!" he suddenly yelled. The room became still.

"...What?" Natalie said, confused, her argument dying on her lips, a hand over her chest fruitlessly trying to still her racing heart. Why would he tell her this now? 'He loves me...' she had a fairly strong feeling he did anyway, especially considering how they had spent their night the day before yesterday, but to hear it straight from his lips...

"I love you... can you not see it? I can not bear the thought of you getting hurt, or worse, losing you! I-I won't allow it! I won't!" He said firmly.

"Edmund..." Natalie tried, but said raven-haired King cut her off.

"No! You're not going! That's final!" He insisted, turning his back on her and storming out before she could protest further.

Natalie watched him go. She couldn't decide whether to feel dazed and fluttery by his admission, or angered by his bullheaded refusal to let her help in the battle. 'What a stubborn asshole!' Natalie thought in frustration. If he thought she would just sit by like a good little girl and obey his every command, oh-ho-ho he had something else coming! She would _not _sit by and do nothing!

"Natalie... I understand your feelings, I do, but was it really necessary to argue with him so publicly?" Lucy asked gently.

"Yes," Natalie answered immediately, still glaring at the door Edmund had stormed out of. "That jackass..." Natalie muttered.

"Nat..." Lucy walked over and placed a hand on her friend's arm. "What will you do now?" she asked, seeing the clear determination in her eyes and becoming worried.

"Look, I... I don't exactly know what I feel for your brother... completely yet, but I just feel like I _need _to be by his side, alright? I'm not sure how I'll do it but... I need to help him," Natalie admitted.

"I think we both know what it is you feel for him, you're just not being honest with yourself," Lucy countered gently.

Natalie frowned to herself. 'She's right... I... I'm in love with him...' she thought. This little bit of knowledge only served to strengthen her desire to be with him, however. "You're right," she admitted. "I wasn't being honest with myself... but now that I am, I _have _to be by his side, can you understand that?" Natalie turned to her friend, giving her a pleading look.

"I can," Lucy nodded, smiling back when her friend gave her a relieved look.

Natalie nodded and walked out, intending to as secretly as she could suit up for battle and try to sneak into the army before it left. She made it to the barracks just as the men left it, sneaking in and hurriedly pulling her dress off, slipping in one of the padded suits that was left, no doubt too small for any of the men, probably fit for a child. 'Convenient...' Natalie thought in amusement and strapped it on.

"Nat?" Natalie jumped and sighed in relief when the voice belonged to Lucy.

"Lu? What are you doing here?" Natalie gawked, seeing her young friend walk in, carrying a leather bag, a bow and a thick quiver of arrows.

"Helping you, of course. You'll never sneak in there without me, I know where they are anyway," Lucy smiled, walking over to help her older friend with the many fastenings in the armor she was trying to pull on. Natalie smiled at her friend, happy that Lucy was going to join her, but also a bit worried how much Edmund would blow up if or_ when _he discovered them.

After Lucy helped her pull on the chainmail armor, the girls looked around the barracks for more armor. They did not find any more chainmail, but they _did _find an old leather armor that could work. The needed to sneak into the army looking like boys, so they needed armor to hide their womanly curves, as well as helmets. That brought another issue to mind and Natalie frowned. "Okay, so I just thought of a problem..." she trailed off as she finished helping secure her friend's armor.

"What is it?"

"Well, we're both women... how will we deal with and hide our, err..."

"I know what you're talking about," Lucy butted in before Natalie could finish, blushing in embarrassment. "I thought of that, actually. Before coming here to join you, I paid a visit to the infirmary and got this," Lucy took out from the bag she had been carrying around certain items that could really help.

"That will do," Natalie smiled, thankful that even though this was a medieval world, there were still ways of handling womanly 'problems' when they arose. Another important thing in the bag was hair-ties. The girls tied their hair up and put their helmets on. "Hmm..." Natalie frowned.

"Another problem?" Lucy questioned.

"Yeah... besides us looking ridiculous, we're kind of short..." Natalie smirked, placing her hand on Lucy's helmet and turning it, watching in amusment as it spun around on her head.

"Hey, stop that!" Lucy grabbed her helmet and straightened it. "We'll just say we're boys?" She shrugged.

"But Lucy, that's lying... you don't lie..." Natalie grinned.

"When it means saving people or if it's for a good cause, which this _is_, a little 'white lie' doesn't hurt anyone..." Lucy insisted.

"Whatever you say, Lu," Natalie laughed. "Come on, we should hurry!" The girls grabbed their belongings and ran out. They took a few minutes to reach the outskirts of town, ignoring the strange looks they got from the people they ran by, and were relieved when the army had not yet left. As they approached the large army beginning to march out, Natalie tightened her sword on her belt, worried she would lose it. If it was just any other blade, she would just be embarrassed by losing it, but this sword was special to her. This would also be the first time she used it, but now that she thought of it, when she picked it up earlier, it didn't feel any heavier than the wooden ones she was used to!

"What is it?" Lucy asked, seeing the strange look in her friend's face.

"It's nothing, it's just, my sword doesn't feel heavy to me anymore..." Natalie smiled.

"That will work to your advantage then! I hope you're prepared to kill with it, though..." Lucy frowned in both concern and disgust. She didn't like the very _idea_ of killing, but it was something that had to be done.

"I... I think so..." Natalie's face paled. She had not thought of that.

"Look, just don't think about it. When someone is coming at you with the intent on killing _you_, it's best to just react before you think..." Lucy instructed.

"Have you...?" Natalie trailed off, gripping the handle of her sword.

"I have..." Lucy admitted sadly.

"What is it... like?"

"A day doesn't go by that I don't think about the things I had to do... but it's a necessary evil," Lucy sighed. "Come on, remember, don't think about it, react," she whispered as they reached the men. The girls remained silent as they snuck in as nonchalantly as they could.

"Halt. You two are kind of short to be soldiers, aren't you?" Natalie and Lucy felt their hearts crawl to a stop and turned cautiously at the faun that addressed them.

"We're boys. The King asked for every able-bodied man, did he not?" Lucy answered in a low tone, trying to sound as boy-ish as he could.

"I... suppose..." the soldier frowned but then shrugged. He wasn't about to start questioning his King, and if they said they were who they said they were, who was he to stop them? They didn't look like spies or anything, if anything, they looked a bit feminine... but then, he wasn't sure how young son of Adam looked like, besides the stories he had heard from his brothers who served with King Peter and 'Prince' Caspian some years ago. "Then you better hurry up and catch up," he warned them. Natalie and Lucy nodded and jogged ahead, trying to not run like girls.

The army marched long and hard through the country-side, flanked by horses with Generals that tried to keep the moral of the army as high as possible. At the very front of the army, Edmund sat on his horse, but besides that, the girls could barely see him. It was very late at night when they finally reached a suitable location to make camp, thankfully close enough to the Fords of Beruna, grateful that it was close _enough _to Castle Caspian that it wouldn't have been two days of nonstop marching back and forth. 'Oh my aching feet...' Natalie thought with an inward sigh. She was suddenly _very _glad that Edmund had forced her to run and exercise so much. Tomorrow they were to reach the Fords with a good day or two until the enemy arrived, or so they hoped.

As the army set camp on the far side of a wide open field, near some trees and a river, Lucy and Natalie tried to stay as far away from people who might recognize them as they could... but where would they sleep? Suddenly, an incredulous and very angry voice called them, _by their names_.

"_Natalie? Lucy? _What the bloody hell?!"

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: Lol uh oh! And no, I won't describe what "items" Lucy showed Natalie, not only am I too lazy, but I don't think any of you want to read that.

Shout-Out:

**Allie Danger**: My "birth" language is Spanish too! But I was raised in USA so I suppose you could call English my "native" language lol.

**Guest**: Yes they are! Maybe he will, maybe he won't! You'll just have to wait and see! :P


	29. Chapter 28

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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Edmund glared at the girls before him, dressed in armor. If he hadn't known they would try something like this, he might not have spotted them, but neither of them knew exactly how to fit into an army, despite Lucy's experience fighting in battles, so he recognized them pretty well... not to mention he also recognized Lucy's equipment bag. "In my tent, _now_!" He ordered, marching them over to where his tent had been set up. When the girls followed him in, they stayed silent as Edmund paced in agitation, his hair a mess from how many times he ran his hands through it. "I can't believe- what are you two- I told you to- _Natalie!" _he turned to the girl that drove him mad many times for many reasons. This time wasn't so pleasant though. He knew his sister wouldn't have gone against his word so easily, so he knew Lucy had only followed only because of her.

Lucy fidgeted under her brother's scrutiny. Oh she really hated when her brothers got angry! Edmund in particular seemed to explode. "I'll just... go check on the tents..." Lucy ran off before Edmund could stop her.

'Coward...' Natalie thought half-amused.

"I can't believe you! I can't believe either of you! You! No! How could- _Natalie!_" Edmund made a sound of great frustration and dragged his hand over his face in aggravation.

"You know your accent gets _really_ thick when you're flustered?" Natalie would have laughed if he didn't look so serious.

"Natalie!" He yelled again, his back straight and eyes boring into her.

"Well I'm sorry! I couldn't – _we _couldn't just stand by again and risk losing you!" Natalie yelled back. "We can help!"

Edmund scoffed in frustration and rubbed his neck in exhaustion. "Are _all_ Americans as stubborn as you are?" he asked with a sigh of defeat.

Yes! She had won! "No, I'm just special that way," Natalie smiled weakly. "Besides, you can't tell me what to do. I'm older than you, you have to respect your elders," she smirked.

"Older? We're the same age!" Edmund frowned in confusion.

"Nuh-uh! I'm about sixty-five years older than you!" She smiled, she knew this was silly, but she had to get him to calm down somehow.

"Well then should I start calling you granny?" His lips tilted up even as he tried to hide his amusement. He was supposed to be angry at her, damn it!

"Do and _die_," Natalie warned teasingly, making Edmund laugh softly. She smiled, at least he wasn't so angry anymore. Two points for her!

After calming down and crossed his arms, he gave her a critical look. "Alright... you can stay," he sighed. "But listen, if you get hurt, or worse, I'm going to... I'm going to..." Edmund made a face, unable to properly express himself.

"Kill me?" Natalie grinned in amusement, stepping closer to him.

"That's _not_ funny. You're _not_ going to die!" he insisted, gazing down at her, his fingers twitching with the desire to touch her, hold her, that or strangle her for being so stubborn.

"Then you have nothing to worry about," she soothed, reaching over and running her fingertips through his hair, caressing the nape of his neck. As always, Edmund struggled to concentrate when she did that, his head lulled slightly. "I'm not about to lose you either, you made me a promise, after all," she smiled.

"I did, I remember," Edmund took her hand, tugging on it until she stumbled into his chest. He wrapped her up in his arms, resting his chin on the top of her head. They both sighed, content to just stay that way for the unforeseeable future. Sadly, they had a battle to see to. "Am I going to have to worry about you?" Edmund asked softly.

"No," Natalie shook her head. "I'll be sure to not get too involved, okay? But I _do _plan on helping..." she told him.

"Hm, not good enough," he sighed, reluctantly pulling away from her. "Hold on," he walked over to the flap of his tent and poked his head out. "Orecar?" he called. A few seconds later, the burly centaur galloped over, skidding to a stop and bowing to his King.

"How may I be of service, my Lord?"

"Come in here, please," Edmund instructed, moving aside to let the large centaur in. "This is Natalie, remember her?" he asked, gesturing to the confused girl in the center of the tent.

"Ah, yes, forgive me, my Lady," Orecar bowed.

"Uh- for what?" She asked, a little uneasy over people bowing to her.

"When we first met, I believe I might have frightened you a bit..." Orecar trailed off.

"Wha- OH! That was you? Oh, I see.. um, well, don't worry about it," Natalie smiled. "I just wasn't used to seeing... your kind," she added.

"I see," Orecar nodded.

"Orecar, I would like you to watch over her," Edmund said.

"What?" Natalie frowned.

"It will be done, Sire," Orecar bowed his head.

"Wait just a minute, I don't need a babysitter," Natalie insisted.

"Not a babysitter, a bodyguard. I don't trust you on your own just yet," Edmund argued. "Look, if you don't want me to have to have you hogtied and shipped back to the castle, you better agree to this," he warned her.

'That little-!' Natalie resisted grinding her teeth and nodded slowly, her head starting to hurt. "Fine, _my Lord,_" she relented, not wanting to seem disrespectful toward the King next to Orecar, even though she was clearly not happy about this.

"Good," Edmund smirked.

Once Orecar left the tent Natalie glared at him. "I have half a mind to wipe that grin off your face..." she grumbled.

"Those are my terms, Nat, deal with it," Edmund answered, rolling his eyes. "You're not even supposed to _be _here."

"Whatever," Natalie sighed. She didn't want to tell him why exactly she decided to disobey him, not yet anyway. Besides, if she told him he did it to be with him, his already large ego might inflate further, and she didn't want to have to deal with his smugness, even though she knew he would _also _be a bit... affectionate... if she admitted it. It was a coin toss, but right now she was too tired to make that decision. When they stepped out of the tent, they noticed a new tent had been set up next to Edmund's, a familiar name on a tag next to the door flap.

"Why is your tent next to mine?" Edmund blinked in confusion.

Natalie looked around and noticed Lucy some ways away, glancing over to them and hiding a grin. She sighed, shaking her head and turned to Edmund. "Why? You don't like it?" she smiled. "Ask your sister, I think I she had something to do with this, you know how she and... and Caspian were, trying to play match maker..." Natalie trialed off, suddenly worried about her friend they had left back at the castle.

"Lucy..." Edmund shook his head as well, running a hand through his hair yet again and rolling his eyes.

"Your hair is going to stick up permanently if you keep doing that." Natalie smiled when Edmund only grunted in response. "I can ask her to have it removed if that's what you want?" She teased.

"You _could _always just stay in my tent..." Edmund mentioned, giving her a half-lidded suggestive look with a crooked smile

Natalie knew what he meant by that and felt her heart race. "I-uh don't think that would be wise..." she smiled back, a deep flush tainting her cheeks. Even though they had only been 'together' once, it had been very nice for the most part, so it was definitely a nice notion. They couldn't afford to get distracted with that sort of thing though.

"True, but it certainly would be nice," he grinned, moving his hand to brush a stray strand of hair from her forehead that escaped her pony-tail. "Anyway, at least this way I can keep an eye on you. Maybe even keep you out of trouble!" He smirked.

"Right," Natalie answered dryly, giving him a tolerant look. "I'm going to go check on my tent..." she said, turning from him. As Natalie disappeared into her tent, Edmund had half a mind to follow her and _apologize _'properly' for snapping at her earlier, maybe even get her to _apologize_ to him too... it would be a very _apologetic _'conversation'... he grinned wickedly inwardly. There probably wouldn't be a lot of talking involved though. But perhaps not now. Instead, he turned and headed toward Lucy, who stood from her seat at one of the bonfires his men lit to cook dinner.

"Lu, come over here please," Edmund said, pulling Lucy to a spot where they could talk in private.

"I'm sorry," Lucy apologized immediately once they were out of earshot.

"Lucy, how could you be so reckless?" Edmund scolded her gently.

"Edmund, you know very well I'm very capable of taking care of myself," Lucy rolled her eyes.

"_You_ may be, but what about Natalie? Why didn't you try to stop her?" Edmund crossed his arms, scrutinizing her.

"You think she would have listened to me? She was hellbent on following you, Ed, she wanted to be by your side," Lucy told him. "She cares a lot about you, you know..."

"I know," he sighed. "I'm worried about her, Lu, she's nowhere near good enough to fight in a war... especially against... against _her_..." Edmund's frown deepened, the memory of his horrible dream making him shudder.

Lucy placed a hand on her brother's shoulder, snapping him out of his dark memories and smiled softly. "You really should have more faith in her, Ed. She's not quite so bad, is she? And she has an intelligent head on her shoulders, I'm sure she won't risk getting into too much trouble," she insisted.

"I... suppose..." Edmund rubbed his neck and sighed. He turned looked over at his sister and smiled, pulling her into a hug. "I really am happy to see you, anyway," he told her.

Lucy smiled and hugged her brother back. "I'm happy to be here," she answered, loving the security she felt whenever one of her brother engulfed her in their arms like that.

"Just... promise me you'll be okay? And that you'll look after Nat?" He asked, pulling away to give her a serious look.

"I will, don't worry so much," Lucy grinned. "You're going to give yourself gray hairs," she teased.

After supper, Edmund found himself in front of Natalie's tent after all. He cleared his throat, glancing around to make sure none of his men were watching. When he felt satisfied that no one was, not even Lucy, who was apparently charming his men with her 'cuteness', he called to her. "Nat?"

"Ed?" Natalie answered, poking her head out of her tent and smiling at him. "Can I help you?" she asked.

"May I enter?" He asked.

Natalie stepped in and opened the flap of her tent, letting him in. "What's up?" She asked. "You're not still mad at me, are you?"

"No, I'm not really all that angry anymore," he shook his head.

"Then..?" Natalie titled her head in confusion.

"I need a reason to see you now?" He smiled, walking closer to her.

"Nope," Natalie smiled widely, eagerly welcoming his embrace when he pulled her into his arms. She took a deep breath, taking in his masculine scent and shutting her eyes, content to be in his arms.

"I missed you..." He muttered against her shoulder, his head craned down to reach it. He liked that she was shorter than him, but sometimes it was an effort for him... it was totally worth it though. He brushed her now loose hair she had had tied up in a pony-tail before out of the way, nuzzling her neck.

"We saw each other during dinner?" Natalie smiled, sliding her hand over his shoulder and running her fingers through his hair with her other hand.

"Mmm, I know, but we haven't actually _touched _since..." He trailed off, letting her fill in the blank. He smiled against her skin, laying a soft kiss.

"That night?" She muttered, biting her lip. She knew what he was talking about, and the memories of that night made her feel like she was burning all over, inside and out.

Edmund could _hear _the blush in her voice and felt himself chuckle in response. "Don't worry, I'm not planning on sweeping you off your feet, ...and into a bed, just yet..."

"Just... yet?" Natalie's heart began to race and she cursed her hormones and emotions teaming up and getting carried away again. If she bit her lip any harder, she would draw blood.

Now Edmund could _feel _her blush on the skin of her neck his lips touched. "Mmhm," he simply answered, taking his time to lay butterfly kisses on her delicate skin, working his way up, listening to her breathing become just a little harder. "There's a time and place, right now isn't either..." he mentioned, but he still didn't stop, reaching the pulse point just below her jaw and licking it slowly. Natalie tilted her head back, whimpering softly, her fingers tightening on his back and shoulder. She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or otherwise when he pulled away. Edmund smiled at her dazed expression and leaned in again, conquering her lips in a heady kiss that left them both wanting more. Natalie pressed herself tighter against him, needing to get closer to him. When he pulled away again, she almost growled in frustration and wondered when the tables were turned on her. "Good night, Nat," Edmund smiled, leaning in again to give her a lingering kiss before stepping out of her reach and winking. He grinned when she rolled her eyes and literally pushed him out of her tent, putting up a brave front.

Natalie let out a breath when he left, a mixture of relief, need, fondness, and annoyance, and turned to get ready for bed. When was it that he became such a... tease? Tempting her that way and then pulling back. She remembered doing something similar to him a while ago. It was probably a deserved pay back for putting him through what she felt now. Somehow, though, this felt like it might be so much worse... He made her feel things she wouldn't have known existed if she hadn't come to Narnia. Made her feel a kind of need for something she hadn't realized was so important, or so it seemed. She _needed _his touch, craved his kisses, and it sometimes scared her how much. With that thought in mind, she settled into her cot, wrapped up in many blankets to fight off the cold winter air that sneaked into her tent.

Sometime during the middle of the night, a sound stirred Natalie from her slumber. "Hm?" she yawned as she woke unexpectedly. It was very late at night, or was it very early in the morning? Listening, she heard the crickets chirping, the wind rushing through the trees, the crunching of feet on the snow from the men patrolling the camp and... That's odd? Standing up, she crept closer to the other side of her tent, the side closest to Edmund's tent and heard groaning... it wasn't the pleasant kind either. He seemed to be having a nightmare. Natalie bit her lip and pulled her robe tighter before slipping on her boots and sneaking out, toward Edmund's tent. She made sure none of the patrol noticed her as she slipped in.

"No... no..." Edmund forehead was damp and his fingers clutched his sheets tightly. "Get back... witch... can't have her... _no_..." a single tear slid down his cheek.

"Oh, Edmund..." Natalie sighed sadly, walking over and kneeling by his bed. Reaching over, wiping the tear from his cheek gently. She caressed his head affectionately, whispering soothing words and shushing him. In no time at all, he seemed to calm down to her touch and words, his forehead smoothed out and he fell back into peaceful sleep. Natalie smiled adoringly, tenderly running her fingers through his hair a few minutes more before leaning in and kissing him softly on the lips. "No more nightmares," she whispered, stroking his cheek, then stood, and crept back to her tent.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: To those of you who read the previous chapter already, read the bottom part again. I had to tweak it, they were _not _supposed to reach the battlegrounds the last chapter, that was a mistake on my part. I have fixed it. Not much going on in this chapter, I wanted to add some Edmund/Natalie interaction though! Also, there's some sibling love in there too as a bonus! Woot!

Shout-Out:

**Allie Danger**: Natalie is stubborn in this chapter for a good reason lol, Edmund is pretty stubborn too though! I am fluent in Spanish, I can speak, read, write some and understand it, but I prefer English. My parents speak "Spanglish" lol. By the way, I think you mean "P.S.", I don't know what "PD" means?

**narnias no.1fan**: Yay drama! _I_ can't wait for reactions.

**Guest**: Well, a little more than a day lol. Who else would it be?

**crimson1618**: Innocent, hah! No, this story isn't innocent, but what do you mean by Natalie? She's just a "normal" girl?


	30. Chapter 29

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N**: Warning! Slight suggestiveness in this chapter!

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The next morning, Natalie found herself waking with a jolt as a loud metallic clang rang through the air near her tent. "What the hell?" she muttered and got up, slipping her robe on and poked her head out of her door. The sun had barely started to rise and the men were already up and hauling equipment around, tents being taken down, orders being barked.

"Good morning, Nat!" Natalie turned to the familiar voice to see Lucy almost literally skipping toward her, two cups in hand.

"Morning?" Natalie answered in an unsure tone and accepted one of the cups.

"There's no cream or sugar but it's coffee," Lucy mentioned with a shrug.

"Honey?" Natalie asked.

"Oh! There might be some of that in Ed's tent. We were waiting for you to wake up, come join us when you're dressed!" Lucy smiled and went back to Edmund's tent. Natalie frowned, wondering how on Earth Lucy could be so incredibly lively and cheerful in the morning. She shook her head and down her coffee in one take, ignoring the burn and sighed in relief. It was just what she needed this early in the morning. She went back into her tent and began to get ready, splashing her face with the melted snow in the water basin, cringing at the frigid temperature and got dressed.

It took her longer than she expected to put her armor on, but she finally finished and walked into Edmund's tent. Inside, she found Lucy munching on some toast and Edmund leaning over some papers, no doubt battle-plans. "Nat! Come on over, there's plenty of toast and that honey you wanted!" Lucy motioned Natalie over.

"Good morning, Nat," Edmund smiled sleepily.

"Morning," Natalie smiled back and sat down in the extra seat, accepting a second cup of coffee from the young King – who knew she drank just as much as he did, - and poured a liberal amount of honey into it.

"Someone certainly has a sweet tooth," Lucy giggled.

"What can I say? I enjoy sweet things..." Natalie smiled.

"Is that why you enjoy _me?_" Edmund grinned, laughing when Natalie began coughing slightly on her coffee.

Edmund probably didn't realize exactly _how _dirty he sounded just then. "Ah- yeah, sure..." Natalie met his gaze and felt her cheeks flush. 'Get a hold yourself, Natalie...' she scolded herself.

"Try the peach marmalade, it's delicious," Lucy smiled.

"Thanks," Natalie spread some over her toast and ate it quickly, downing the cup of coffee just as quickly as she had before. "We need to hurry, right?" She asked when the two siblings gave her surprised looks.

"Um, yes, you're right..." Edmund blinked. He stood and began gathering his things. "Come on, Lu, finish your toast," he said, grabbing his swords and strapping them onto his belt.

The army packed the camp and began their March once more. Some of the Generals even gave up their horses for their esteemed guests. Both Lucy and Natalie felt uncomfortable taking advantage of their positions, but did so on Edmund's insistence. The girls had been warned to ride somewhere in the middle, where it was safer from possible ambushes, but, being that they were both so stubborn, refused to do so. Edmund rolled his eyes as both Lucy and Natalie flanked him. One of the most dangerous places to be! Fortunately, on either side of them were the two main centaur generals, Glenstorm and one named Uthacur. Orecar walked somewhere near Natalie, his bow trained on every corner of the landscape about him. When the King requested he watch over Lady Natalie, he made damn sure to do so to the best of his abilities.

As predicted, the trip to the decided battlegrounds took only a few hours, so they made it on time for lunch. Edmund had already sent a scout out earlier to run ahead of them, to see where the enemy was, so they expected a report early that evening. As they set the camp up, they once again tried to search for the best location. They decided on the same spot that Aslan had set his own camp, leaving a bit of a wooded brush between them and the Fords. They saw in the distance that the large crevice that Peter had ordered been made,against the Telmarines, was still there, but over the years it had filled up with vegetation. Some of the trees that had aided them had rooted themselves around the area, giving them some cover if they needed it. Edmund decided not to use Aslan's Howe, wanting to preserve it in case of a tactical retreat. It was a very good spot for look-outs, to keep a watch for the enemy and also provide cover if there was a breach, or so Edmund had tried to explain. To Natalie, it sounded like something from the military channel that always made her feel a bit drowsy. This time, though, she listened carefully to the details, trying to understand the significance so that she could more easily help in the coming battle.

Natalie, being a history buff, found it fascinating to be in an area where many wars had been fought, most of them by the Pevensie siblings themselves. This was the spot where Peter had made a name for himself, and the spot where Edmund had proven himself to be just as powerful a leader and commander, centuries ago. This was also close to the spot where their Messiah had sacrificed himself for them, and for Edmund in particular. This area held a lot of importance and she felt honored to be a part of it now. She wondered why the Witch had decided to come through here, did she want it to be some sort of symbol of something? Did she think it would be a fitting grave? The thought made Natalie shudder.

The camp was set near the ruins, with Edmund's tent in the center, somewhat protected by the large stones.

Lunch consisted of sausage, beans, corn, and a variety of roots. Natalie and Lucy dined in Edmund's tent with him. "Who did you send to scout the enemy?" Natalie asked, trying to eat her corn on the cob as lady-like as she could.

"Frederick. I thought an aerial view would be best," Edmund answered. "Nat, please don't do that... just eat the corn," he said in amusement.

"I was just trying to be polite," Natalie smiled up at him through her lashes.

"No need, you don't have to try to impress _me_," Edmund winked. "I've already seen-"

"Lucy! Could you pass the butter?" Natalie interrupted him, giving him a warning look and rolling her eyes when he laughed.

"Am I missing something?" Lucy asked, handing the small tray of butter to her friend.

"No, Edmund's just being a guy," Natalie sighed.

"Whatever that means," the younger girl smiled in confusion.

After lunch, Natalie decided she would practice with her sword some. As she walked around the camp, she noticed some men sharpening their weapons, and some sparring with others. To her surprise, she also noticed some women there too, some female warriors. Natalie had been under the impression that Edmund was the type to not allow women to fight along men, but maybe that had been Caspian? She had been aware that he often valued Lucy as both an adviser and a warrior and had only had her stay behind to oversee Narnia while he and Caspian had left for battle, weeks ago. If he had allowed his little sister to fight alongside him, then it made sense he would let other female warriors join the army.

"My lady?"

Natalie jumped in surprise, turning to see the tall, familiar centaur that Edmund had placed in charge of looking out for her behind her. "Orecar? What can I do for you?" she asked with a smile.

"Would you permit me showing you a few techniques I picked up? I... was made aware that Lord Edmund has been training you in sword-fighting?"

"Yes, he has," Natalie nodded. "I was actually hoping to sharpen up my lack of skills! I would be honored," she added politely.

"If the King has trained you, my Lady, then it would be folly to say that you are lacking skill," Orecar smiled back.

"How would you know?" Natalie asked curiously as she followed him to an open area to train.

"Have you not read of his accomplishments? It is both an honor and a privilege to serve alongside him. King Edmund the Just was, and still is, revered for his skill in battle, his skill with weapons and his valor," Orecar grinned.

"Wow, you really look up to him, huh?" Natalie grinned back.

"I do, my Lady! I fought with him and King Caspian a few weeks ago, I can attest to his prowess as a warrior," he told her. "Shall we?" he offered, drawing his sword. "I am assuming you trained with wooden weapons, yes?"

"That's right," she nodded. "But before you say that we should go slowly, I... don't think that's a good idea, do you? I need to learn to sharpen my reflexes. This is a war, my enemy won't attack me slowly, right? I need to think on my feet and, like Queen Lucy stated,_ react _instead of thinking about my next move, yes?"

"You're absolutely right! I can see the King has chosen well in a mate," Orecar smiled.

"W-What?" Natalie flushed as red as a tomato.

"Centaurs have a much higher sense of smell, my lady. I could smell your scents intermingled when I addressed the King a few days ago, at the castle. Do not worry, my Lady, I will say nothing, but know that many of the men are aware of your relationship with the King. None of us bare ill feelings toward either of you for it," he told her gently.

"Ah-I uh, I see..." Natalie squirmed, glancing around to the other soldiers, but none of them were paying them any attention, even though she was now sure some of them, like the more animalistic ones, could hear some of their conversation. "We should um, get this underway..." she said, changing the subject.

"Yes, my Lady," Orecar smiled. He spent a bit of time showing her how to more easily handle her blade, mildly impressed that she could wield it fairly easily. Their spar attracted the attention of some of the other soldiers, including Edmund and Lucy. Edmund's eyes widened when he realized they were fighting with real swords, and at a much quicker speed than he had taught Natalie at, but was held back by Lucy. He watched, fearful, as Orecar pummeled her shield, and was relieved that Natalie had much quicker reflexes and a stronger fortitude than he initially thought she had. Natalie bared the weight of his hits and used a quick paused to force her shield forward, taking him off guard and pushing him back far enough so that she would jump out of his reach.

Orecar recovered quickly and used a wide arc to slash at Natalie's feet. "Jump!" he told her, and she did, successfully avoiding the slash.

"Wow! I can't believe I-" Natalie gasped, quickly raising her shield against to block another attack.

"Concentrate on your enemy, my Lady, don't let yourself get distracted," he instructed.

'Damn, I knew that already. It was one of the main things Edmund taught me,' she thought, refusing to look over to Edmund, not wanting to see if he was disappointed in her or not. 'Okay, I have to find an opening, a weak spot, something,' she thought, blocking another attack and watching his body movement. Orecar was a heavy-hitter, but he used a very large sword, what she would call a "Zweihänder", one of the largest swords she knew of, which was a Greatsword. It was an enormous blade measuring about 175cm long, almost twice the size of her longsword. Typically they looked heavier than they were, but the sword Orecar used was a lot thicker and looked like it could slice a man in half from head to toe without any problem. Because of the weight of that sword, he was slow to swing, so when Orecar made another wide arch to pummel her shield, she swept to the side, dodging the blow and using his momentary surprise to get a hit in, being careful to simply slap him with the side of her blade.

"Good job," Orecar smiled. "You studied my movements and took advantage of my disadvantage. Your speed and reflexes will be your greatest tools," he told her, turning to get ready for another attack. As they watched, Edmund and Lucy discovered that having to move quickly to spar against Orecar, Natalie was forced to rely on instinct, using the things Edmund had taught her she had stored in the back of her mind. It was clear she was still at a beginners level, but to be able to keep up and even get a few good hits in, spoke volumes about her ability to learn and adapt quickly. Orecar showed her as much as he could, sharpening her already decidedly impressive acquired skills.

That evening, Frederick had returned, bringing news that the Witch had indeed taken her army through the pass that led toward the Fords. They were still on the move, having apparently rested during the day so they could make it there the next morning. Frederick had told them that there were fearsome creatures in her ranks. Werewolves, hagravens, even a few minotaurs and dwarfs. Fortunately, they were wearing uniforms, similar armors so that they would not get confused with their own troops. It was also fortunate that Edmund had the hindsight to order his soldiers to bear Aslan's symbol on their armor, a simple cloth in front of the armor of a lion's head. This way, if Jadis had used men and minotaurs and the like, there would be limited friendly casualty.

After a few hours of rest from sparring with both Orecar and Glenstorm, who had decided to see her abilities for himself, Natalie found herself slumped against a log, a plate of food on her lap while she watched Lucy dance around to some music the soldiers were playing. Some of the soldiers had pulled out musical instruments and began playing them after dinner. The women took their mates or friends and danced. A lot of them were dancing about actually, more than Natalie had thought there would be, trying to keep their spirits light before the battle the next day. "Natalie!" said woman looked up to see Lucy skipping over to her. "Come dance! It's a lot of fun!" she smiled.

"Ah, no thanks, I'm kind of tired..." Natalie declined.

"I understand," Lucy frowned in disappointment, but didn't press her friend. However, when Edmund stepped out of his tent, a cup of spiced wine in hand, her frown turned upside down and she got a wicked gleam in her eye.

"Lucy, whatever it is you're plotting, stop it right now," Natalie warned, narrowing her eyes. She had not seen Edmund come out of the tent, but she _had _seen the sly look in her friend's expression. For someone as innocent and happy-go-lucky as Lucy, the girl certainly seemed to have a hidden dark side!

"I'm not plotting anything," Lucy patted Natalie's head in an almost patronizing way, and then skipped off.

'Yeah right,' Natalie shook her head and went back to moving her beans around on her plate. A few minutes later, a mass of muscle and fabric blocked the light of the roaring camp fire. She looked up and saw Edmund smiling cheerfully down at her.

"Good evening, Lady Valentine," he greeted her.

"_My King_," Natalie smirked, still finding it amusing whenever she referred to him as a sovereign. She knew he _was_, but to her he would always just be 'Ed' or 'Edmund'. Edmund offered her his hand to help her up. Natalie lifted a brow, but set her dish aside and let him hoist her up to her feet. "What can I do for you, _my Lord_?" she asked curiously.

"Why does it always sound like insubordination whenever you address me as either your Lord or your King?" He asked teasingly, stepping closer to her.

Natalie took a deep breath, feeling soothed by his scent and his presence. The more she spent time with him, the more she felt like she needed to be by his side. "That's just your imagination," she smiled cheekily.

"Well, anyway. So... want to dance?" he asked, rocking on his heels slightly and bobbing his eyebrows.

Natalie glanced at the knowing smirks from the troops around them, now knowing that they knew of her relationship with their King. It was slightly disconcerting, especially considering she was almost lying whenever one of them addressed her as a Lady. She was just a normal girl, a peasant if you will, and to be referred to by a higher station would have been blasphemy or something like that in the middle ages... then again, this wasn't Earth. Still, it was highly embarrassing! "I-uh, don't think so..." She declined, feeling embarrassed. "I'm... a bit tired..." she said, using the same excuse she had used on Lucy. She was right when she didn't think it would work, though.

"Please? Dance with your King?" Edmund asked softly, giving her the patent Pevensie puppy-dog eyes.

"Ugh..." Natalie shut and rubbed her own eyes, trying to avoid his pleading gaze. She could never say no to them when they did that! Edmund was just as bad as his sister! What made it worse though, was that if she pleased him, she would be _rewarded_ later. It was certainly enticing. And so, in the end, she decided to relent this time. "Alright, but I'm warning you, I haven't gotten that much better than I was before, alright?" she said, accepting his offered hand. As soon as she was pulled toward him, the tempo of the music suddenly dropped and the rhythm slowed. When she looked over to the men playing the music, she noticed Lucy their, trying to hide a giggle. So this was _her _doing, was it? Why was she not surprised.

"You need to relax," Edmund smiled, pulling her further against him so his arms were wrapped around her. "The soldiers don't care about us dancing, just concentrate on me," he whispered against her ear, leaning over to dance closer to her. Natalie blushed again but nodded and shut her eyes, trying to lose herself in Edmund's embrace. It was definitely not hard to do. In no time, she found herself relax against him, laying her head against his chest as they swayed slowly to the music. It was nice and she was glad he kept his hands in respectable locations, not showing any more affection in public that that.

She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't crave more from him. But certainly not at this time, there was a time and place for that, as Edmund had told her before, and this was not it. Before Lucy had _meddled_, Natalie had watched a much quicker dance, almost reminding her of a harem or gypsy style of music, fast-faced with an underlined sensuality. Couples that danced to it or women that teased the men almost looked like they were trying to lure each other to their beds, so Natalie was aware that if the men decided to be wicked, they could start that kind of music. Somehow, Natalie was almost certain that Edmund was familiar with that sort of movement. From what she saw of his flexibility, and she meant _flexibility_ in _many_ ways, -another blush– not just fighting, she assumed he would know how to dance that way. She wasn't sure if she would be able to handle it if he did so though, she might run all the way back to Castle Caspian if he did!

Thankfully, the men seemed to respect them too much to do something like that, and kept the music pleasant and calm. Still, the longer she stayed in Edmund's arms, the more she felt it was time to tell him how she felt for him. He had told her he was in love with her before they went to battle, and she had frozen up. She knew what she felt for him, knew she was also in love with him, a love that sometimes overpowered her, something she thought she would never feel, but she hadn't had a chance to speak up before. Part of her felt an urgency to tell him, afraid of missing her chance if he... if he... but no, she would not think about that! She wanted to tell him because he deserved it, not because she was worried it would be her last chance! But perhaps not now, not when there were so many eyes on them, she didn't want to be pressured to speak her heart to him, so she would wait for the right time.

The right time would arrive late that night, when the fires were put out and most of the soldiers went to sleep, including Lucy who had turned in earlier that evening. Natalie made her way to Edmund's tent quietly. She knew he was still awake because his light was still on and she could see his shadow bent over his table, looking over battle plans or something. When she entered his tent, he spoke to her even without looking up to see who it was. "I got a letter from Basil. Caspian's condition hasn't changed. At least he hasn't gotten any worse," he sighed, then set the papers down and finally looked up, smiling at her. Edmund stood from his seat then and walked over to her slowly. "Nice night," he mentioned conversationally, his eyes fixed on her's.

"It is," Natalie agreed, biting her lip as he stopped close enough to her that their boots were touching. She swallowed nervously. She had tossed the figurative coin and called it. She was going to tell him how she felt about him before they went to battle, inflated ego be damned, it was the least she could do. "You know, it took me a while to figure it out, but I finally understand how I feel about you," she admitted.

Edmund was surprised by her topic of conversation. "And how do you feel?" he queried, looking genuinely curious.

Natalie smiled, thinking first he needed to have his ego lowered a little, before he puffed out pridefully. "You're an arrogant, annoying, tease," she said nonchalantly.

"What?" Edmund blinked, honestly expecting something different.

"Well, you _are_... _but,_ I'm also in love with you, been in love for quite a while now... I thought you should know..." she blushed. Natalie was relieved when he _didn't_ look smug or give her a knowing smile, or anything irritating like that, instead, he smiled widely, his eyes sparkling. 'Huh, imagine that, no ego-trip,' she thought happily.

"I... I'm glad," his smile was so wide Natalie was almost worried it would get permanently stuck that way. Natalie let herself be drawn into his arms once again, sighing in content to just be there without prying eyes on them. She was still uncomfortable with a lot of people around her, especially if emotions were involved. This was just how she liked it. And now, without the eyes of the soldiers, they could do more. "We don't have a lot of chances to be alone these days, do we?" he whispered against her hair, kissing her forehead.

"We had more important things to worry about," Natalie reasoned.

"True, but I think this is pretty important too..." Edmund countered, pulling back slightly to smile down at her affectionately. "I missed you," he grinned.

"This again?" Natalie felt herself blush. The last time he had said that, he ended up making her have a _very _difficult time falling sleep. This time, though, maybe she could turn the tables? Edmund laughed softly and learned in, catching her lip between his teeth and nibbling on it as his hand trailed down. She was wearing breeches now, to more comfortably wear armor, so he was able to slip his hand under the waist band, making her flush once more. The way he touched her made her understand just how much he missed her and just how much he wanted her. It sent shivers all over her body and made it sing to his touch just as eagerly.

Natalie steeled herself, not letting Edmund's over-eagerness to overpower her senses and paid him back. She slipped her own hand under his tunic, drawing patterns on his belly, dragging her nails lightly on his skin as she slowly trailed downward. She felt his body respond to her touch almost immediately as he pressed her closer to him. His own had slid further down, gripping her in order to pull her up so one of her legs was wrapped around him. Natalie slid her tongue against his as he pushed her lips apart, deepening the kiss. He groaned when her hand slipped under his own pants, teasingly playing with the soft hairs just below his bellybutton. He gasped when she stepped away from him all of a sudden.

"Who's the tease?" Edmund groaned. Natalie bit her lip again, seeing her effect on him very clearly now, her body tingling in response.

"This was pay-back for last night," She smiled at him. She leaned forward again, catching his lips for one last longing kiss before slipping out of his arms and backing out of the tent, winking at him. When Natalie got inside her own tent, she slumped against her bed, a shuddering breath escaping her. She had no idea it would be just as hard for her to do what she did as it was for him as the receiver. Not to mention he did a number on _her _as well. So this was why people did it so often? She had always wondered what the big deal was, now she knew. 'No more of that,' Natalie shook her head violently and went over to her water basin to splash her face, for once thankful of how cold it was. They all had a very big day ahead of them the next day and needed good rest. Putting dirty images out of her mind, Natalie forced herself to sleep.

_TBC..._

* * *

**End A/N**: I'm sorry it took so long to update, I had stuff to do, including taking my cat to the vet (she's okay, just thought she might have a weight issue like diabetes or parasites, turns out she just likes eating lol). And then I just procrastinated lol. Hopefully the length made up for it! You people are so impatient lol. I guess that's my fault for spoiling you though. This chapter proves that even faced with the threat of war and possible death, it does nothing to stop a healthy libido lol... unrealistic? Probably.

On an entirely different subject, anyone here know of the song "100 Years" but Five for Fighting? I have a love-hate relationship with that song. It's a beautiful song, but I hate even the mention of death, or time going by as quickly as the song makes it seem. Ugh, I know it's supposed to be a happy song, but it still brings tears to my eyes! I am _such _a sap.

Shout-Out:

**Allie Danger**: Lol, you're funny. Yeah, I figure Edmund would still be plagued by nightmares, and Natalie being able to put his mind at ease is important to the story :)

**narnias no.1fan**: I was hoping they would become a good couple! Otherwise, I would have failed as a writer lol. Glad you like it!

**Guest**: Why would Orecar speak to them in that way? Lucy is a Queen and in Orecar's eyes, Natalie is a Lady, so he would never address them in that manner... Ed, on the other hand... lol.

**Guestwholovesed**: _Getting_ good? XD

**Alexandra**: Patience, young grasshopper!


	31. Chapter 30

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N**: Be warned! I am very rusty at this kind of action! Blood and violence in this chapter!

* * *

Early the next morning, just as the sun began to show itself over the horizon, Natalie felt herself being gently shaken awake. "Hmm?" she blinked awake. Orecar stood over her, decked out in armor. He, as a centaur, was so enormous it was like looking up at a giant.

"It is time, my Lady," he told her. "King Edmund and Queen Lucy are preparing the troops."

Natalie nodded to him, but he didn't budge. "Um, I need to get dressed?"

"Do you need help getting your armor on?" " he asked, genuinely curious.

"Uh, no, thanks... " she blushed. Honestly, didn't this guy ever hear of privacy?

"Forgive me, my Lady, " Orecar bowed. "I did not mean to offend. The King ordered me to protect you, but I will let you prepare in peace if you wish," he told her, then bowed once more and left. Natalie sighed in relief and rolled her eyes. Great, she had to get an overprotective boyfriend, didn't she? Natalie didn't really mind, her brother had been overprotective and she always found that endearing, at least, she did when she was SEVEN. She shook her head and ignored the biting cold as she climbed out of bed and quickly gathered her gear.

It took shorter time than before to get her armor on this time, and soon she found herself armed, armored, and marching with the rest of the army toward the battlefield. Each step she took seemed harder than the next. Each step made it harder for her to breathe. The fear she felt was making her feel very ill, to the point where she felt like she had jagged stones in her belly, she needed to vomit, and the dizziness was making the world spin around her... but she would be dammed if she ran away now! Was this how everyone felt the first time they went off to war? Was this how Edmund and Lucy felt? How did they feel now?

"H-Hey, Orecar?" Natalie asked, looking up at her guardian.

"My Lady?" Orecar looked down, his brows furrowing in concern. He had smelled the scent of her fear, but had not made a comment because she was not the only one afraid. Besides, he didn't want to embarrass her in front of the men.

"Are you... afraid? Ever?" Natalie asked quietly.

Orecar thought about this for a moment. He was not ashamed to admit his feelings, did not care what the other soldiers thought. If they ever gave him grief, he would just run challenge them and be done with it. "Fear is a natural part of life," he told her. "Fear is what keeps the mind sharp and keeps us alive. Yes, I am afraid, often, it is how I have survived when others did not, it is how I keep my wits about me and keep me from doing foolish things," he admitted. He leaned in, so he gave her the illusion that he was whispering to her. "Do not worry, I will protect you," he smiled. He was sure none of the other soldiers would blame her for being afraid, to them she was braver than most. To them, she was a noble Lady joining a war... what noble woman did that?

Arriving at the battlefield, the troops could see their enemy just coming over the ridge, marching in a unified, organized form. Jadis could barely be seen off in the back of the army, dressed in a heavy white cloak, but a shiny glint from the sun was enough to let them know that she was also armored this time. A large arrangement of fierce mythical creatures made up most of her army, but it also included some humans she had obviously ensnared as well. The army marched in a militaristic manner. It was clear the White Witch would not make the same mistake of misjudging the Narnians again. This would be a very tough battle.

"Company halt!" Edmund ordered from the front of their army. His generals echoed his command and the soldiers all stopped.

Natalie felt her heart competing against her lungs. 'Okay, okay, calm down, don't hyperventilate!' She told herself, shutting her eyes and counting to calm herself.

"Archers at the ready!" Natalie heard Uthacur yell. Natalie opened her eyes and noticed a lot of movement around them. Archers and crossbowmen ran to the front, she couldn't see what they were doing, for there were far too many people in front of her, but she assumed they were getting down on one knee, steadying themselves and preparing to fire. There was a long pause, both armies assessing each other. And then... "Raise your shields!" Uthacur screamed. "Archers! Fire!" Natalie gasped and quickly lifted her shield over her head when the tell-tale sounds of arrows flying overhead could be heard. She grit her teeth and held tight as the barrage of arrows rained down on them.

'Oh, God!' Natalie cringed, hearing yells of pain and anger around her already. There was more movement and suddenly, looking up, she saw one line of their cavalry rush forward toward the enemy's attackers. The skirmishes had begun.

"_Peace..."_ Natalie heard a voice tell her, but glancing around she saw no one addressing her. All the same, she felt a sliver of calm wash over her and it was enough for her to be able to focus again.

"Are you alright, my Lady?" Orecar asked nearby.

Natalie looked over and saw his shield covered in arrows. It seemed he had taken most of the arrows that were heading toward her. "I-I'm fine," Natalie frowned and cleared her throat, steeling herself. "I'm fine, just a bit, uh... anxious?"

"Understandable," Orecar nodded.

The skirmishes lasted a few hours. A lot of people died in that time, and it seemed it was more Narnians than it was the enemy. It became clear very quickly that the Witch had the advantage, at least for now. Hopping up to look over some heads was a challenge when most of the troops in front of her were taller than her. A lot of the centaurs had gone in the first cavalry attack, and unfortunately a lot of them didn't make it back, but most people were still taller than her it seemed. She never thought she was _that _short, she was an average height for a girl. She gasped slightly when she felt herself lifted slightly and looked over to see Orecar. "Look quickly, this is not safe," he told her.

Natalie quickly looked toward the battlefield and saw that, even though Jadis' army was larger still than theirs, they had lost quite a few soldiers. She could see Edmund riding in front of his men and could just barely hear a muffled speech. He was trying to keep their spirits raised but at the cost of his own safety. 'Ugh, careless...' She thought worriedly. Before Orecar set her back down, she had spotted Lucy healing some of the soldiers with her cordial. Perhaps they weren't as bad off as she thought?

"Be ready, my Lady, we move out soon," Orecar warned her.

"R-Right," Natalie swallowed nervously but drew her sword and gripped her shield tighter. It wasn't too long before the Generals gave the word to move out.

"For Narnia!" Edmund yelled, drawing both his swords and slashing them forward, giving the signal to charge. Natalie didn't stop to think, she just started running, slightly fearful of getting trampled by the soldiers behind her. The army split up into three battalions. Edmund, Glenstorm and Uthacur directing their own. Natalie and Orecar ended up being sent into Uthacur's squadron, as he was the General closest to them at the time. The enemy split their own army to accommodate, obviously not wanting to be flanked.

Natalie stood in the center of a battle, people dying left and right. She gaped, seeing men get shot by arrows in the knees, in the eyes, in their backs, dropping like flies. The snow beneath her feet ran red with blood and it was all she could do to keep from throwing up and crying all at the same time. There was so much movement and so many sounds that it disorientated her for a moment. She didn't know which way to go and figured the only reason she hadn't been killed yet was because Orecar was doing such a fantastic job at keeping her safe. She had never felt so useless in her life. She would have a chance to break free from that a second later.

Natalie heard a growl somewhere near her and saw an approaching enemy, a human man wearing black leather and chain armor. She felt a whole new level of fear swell in her heart as he raised his blade toward her. "What do I do, what do I do?" She muttered to herself, her arms shaking. She tried lifting her sword but felt like her body had been paralyzed.

"Defend yourself, my Lady!" Orecar screamed, fighting off a minotaur who got too close to them.

"Move... _move_!" She begged her body, but fear, it seemed, had complete control over her. The man was so close now she could almost smell his oily breath.

"_Do not have fear, my child... I am with you."_ A voice said. Natalie felt control return to her body and looked over to where she heard the voice. She saw a mighty lion, Aslan, standing on a hill, smiling at her. His eyes bore into her and she no longer felt afraid. _"You have the spirit of a fighter, dear one, if you just look deep enough..."_ he told her.

Natalie frowned thoughtfully. She closed her eyes and searched for this so called fighting spirit. Memories of training with Lucy and Edmund, learning quickly. Memories of fighting for independence when she was younger, not letting anyone tell her she couldn't do something. Memories of fighting her way out of the orphanage, finding homes, even if they traded her in, in the end. So many memories of a silent fighter within herself. Aslan was right. She could _do _this! Even as she thought that, she could fear serenity wash over her and a deeply hidden strength she stashed within herself break it's way to the surface.

The man was right on top of her and Natalie gripped the handle of her sword tighter. "My Lady!" Orecar screamed, but he was too far at the moment to help. The man rushed Natalie, laughing maniacally as he lifted his sword to split her in two. Natalie saw her opening and, without thinking about it, as Lucy advised, rushed toward him, stepping to the side, as Edmund has taught her, and lunged her blade forward, sinking it in the man's exposed armpit. The sword went right into his chest cavity. Natalie had no way of knowing if she pierced his heart but he fell moments later, unmoving.

'I... I killed him... I took a life...' She thought, her face draining of color.

"_Sometimes, death is a necessary evil, if it means destroying evil... You had no choice, my child, you remain pure, do not let it trouble you," _

Natalie heard Aslan again. She felt relief that Aslan himself soothed her worry and encouraged her. She turned toward the hill. "Thank-" But Aslan was gone, no longer on the hill, or anywhere else to be seen.

"My Lady? Are you alright?" Orecar asked as he galloped over.

"I'm alright," Natalie nodded.

"That was the cleanest, quickest kill I've ever seen a novice preform. Color me impressed," Orecar smiled weakly. "I know it was not easy for you to do so, though. Know that you have earned the respect of many this day, including mine," Orecar bowed.

"Uh," Natalie averted her eyes. "I have nothing to feel proud for. I didn't enjoy taking his life," she muttered.

"That only means you are pure of heart, my Lady, and a true Narnian," he smiled. "Come, let us help our brothers and sister!"

"Right," Natalie nodded and rushed into the battle with him. 'I can do this!' The two fought side by side, Natalie took Aslan's words to heart, putting it out of her mind that she was killing people, some who had no control over themselves and were bewitched by Jadis. Natalie also took Lucy's advice and reacted instead of thinking things through. She was nowhere near as skilled a fighter as anyone in that valley, but she was able to hold her own for the most part. It helped she had a huge, muscular centaur with an equally as massive sword to protect her.

The battle carried on into the evening. The sun was very low in the sky when there was a pause for rest. The enemy army followed the rules of war, much to the surprise of the Narnians, and let them go for the night. Each army went back to their camps. The rules dictated that there would be a period of rest for the night before the fight broke out at dawn once more. When Natalie and Orecar made it back to camp, Natalie was far too exhausted to worry about who made it back and who didn't. In the back of her mind she was ripping her hair out with anxiety over worry for Edmund and Lucy, but she figured they had been through this so often before that they would have made it.

Natalie slid to the floor against a log, in front of the re-lit bonfire, shutting her eyes and listening to the sounds of the soldiers. Some where talking quietly, their voices sounding gloomy, others were groaning in pain, and yet others were crying softly for the loss of friends, brothers, husbands, wives, and the like, that could not be saved by Lucy that day. Suddenly she felt herself being drawn into a strong embrace and didn't have to open her eyes to know who it was. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Any pain anywhere?" Edmund's voice was a whisper by her ear.

"I'm fine, I'm just... very tired..." Natalie sighed. She wanted to hug him back, yearned to do so, but her limbs felt like rubber and she could barely keep her head from lulling to the side. She felt herself being lifted then. "What are you-"

"You need rest, I'm taking you to your tent," Edmund told her softly. Natalie wouldn't have resisted even if she wanted to. They were silent as Edmund carried her. Too much happened that day, it wasn't just physical exhaustion they felt. When he set her down, she saw him for the first time. His face and part of his armor was covered in blood.

"EDM-!"

"It's not my blood! Don't worry," he assured her quickly.

Natalie slumped in relief. "Lucy?" She asked, after calming down.

"She's fine too, just a little scratch from an arrow that clipped her cheek," He told her. "Get some rest, Nat," he sighed. "This isn't over yet," he warned her. He leaned in and laid a soft kiss on her lips, before he turned and left her tent. Natalie hadn't thought she would be able to sleep that night, but her exhaustion took over her body and she passed out.

The next morning, Natalie awoke to horns being blown. She groaned painfully as she forced herself out of bed, gasping as her body protested and dizziness swam before her eyes. She struggled to get to her water basin and drank from it, not caring if it was dirty or if it was almost ice. She splashed her face and made sure her armor was on right before taking her sword and heading out. The army had not yet left and the sun had barely started coming over the horizon. "What's going on?" Natalie asked a faun archer near her tent.

"A messenger from the enemy army is approaching," the faun told her. Natalie walked with him toward the edge of the clearing of the camp, meeting Orecar there. They remained silent as Edmund, Lucy, and the Generals stood in the center, glaring down at the pass that lead toward the valley. She could barely make out what they were saying.

"Sire, it is indeed a messenger, they are waving a white flag," Uthacur mentioned, looking as ready as can be for more bloodshed.

"Maybe they've given up?" One of the soldiers nearby muttered.

"Doubtful," Edmund narrowed his eyes toward the approaching enemy. "Bring him over," he ordered.

"My Lord," Uthacur bowed and galloped over to the enemy General. Natalie could now see the messenger and blanched in suprise at what she saw. It was an honest to God _werewolf! _Humanoid in form, large, muscular body, wolf-like head and tail, and covered in thick, black fur.

The werewolf, shoved the centaur General off him when Uthacur attempted to 'escort' him. He snapped his jaws at him and made his way purposefully toward the center. When he reached Edmund, he stopped and glared. "Queen Jadis demands an audience, whelp!" The werewolf growled.

"Watch your tongue, Dinris, before I cut it off, mutt!" Uthacur snarled back. "He is a rightful King of Narnia and you will do well to show him respect!"

"He's not _my _King!" Dinris snapped his jaws at the centaur once more.

"I would heed his words, _dog_," Edmund replied gruffly. "I am not my brother. I will_ kill you_ if you provoke me," he glared, unsheathing his sword and looking down on him menacingly.

Dinris saw the sincerity in Edmund's eyes and backed off. He knew of the young King's temper and skill in combat through stories and through his own observation, years ago. He was a formidable warrior and he would do well to respect him, as he was warned. "Very well," he answered gruffly. "For... Forgive me..." he forced out, averting his eyes. Edmund gave him a look of contempt, but re-sheathed his sword.

"Tell... your _Queen_ that she may speak if she wishes, but warn her if she tries anything, I will cut her down where she stands," He told him. The werewolf bowed mockingly and ran off, his white flag held in his jaws.

"Is this wise, my Lord?" Glenstorm questioned softly, not wanting to seem disrespectful. Edmund glanced over to him, and then back at Natalie and Lucy who stood some ways away, looking on at him worriedly.

"No, it's not, but I'm not about to let her think I'm some weakling coward," he answered. "Besides, if she tries anything, Lucy will put an arrow through her eyes," Edmund smirked, noticing his sister notching an arrow after being told the news by Uthacur. "She may not be Susan, but she's gotten _very_ good with that bow, I trust her with my life." In the distance, horns were blown and Edmund and Glenstorm turned to see the White Witch being carried over by her minions. "Here we go..." he sighed, gripping the pommel of his brother's sword tightly.

This would be the first real meeting with the real White Witch since he was a boy...

_TBC..._

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**End A/N:** Yeah so the theme to this chapter is "Ambush In The Passage" from the Total Annihilation soundtrack, ignore how dirty the title of that music is lol! Also, I was listening to "Gold Lion" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs while writing the part with Aslan and Natalie lol. By the way, I JUST REALIZED there was a "spelling and grammar" button in my writing processor... LOL! Oh! Also, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update the next chapter. My brother is coming to visit this weekend, so I'll be a bit distracted!

In case anyone is wondering, this is how I write a story: Wake Up. Shower. Eat Breakfast. Write. Play Computer Game. Eat Lunch. Go Out. Write. Play Computer Game. Write. Pester Cats. Eat Dinner. Play Computer Game. Write. Go To Sleep. Repeat... Sometimes a variation of that, and sometimes with little to no writing, or sleep lol.

That's when I don't work or go to college lol. I need to do both but I'm having trouble finding a job again and I have to wait to start classes again...

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson:** Yay! Hello! Long time no see! Glad you're liking it so far lol. Still think they're your OTP?

**Allie Danger**: I'm exactly like that lol. I like gimmicky drama like that too!

**Guest**: Yeah, maybe it was a bit much lol I could go back and tweak it, tone it down a bit? Lucy is 16 but keep in mind she was raised as a proper little lady in the 40's, it's a given that she would be a bit naïve, yes? After all, stuff like that was _not _talked about openly, there was no internet, tv shows and radio shows were innocent, etc... I also figure that Peter and Edmund didn't let any men near her when they were ruling during the Golden Age, being overprotective and all lol. She knows a little bit because of her time as an adult, but not a whole lot.

**To Lazy to Login**: Glad you like it!

**narnias no.1fan**: Your story has promise too! :)


	32. Chapter 31

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N**: Warning! A lot of violence and blood!

* * *

Edmund's jaw tightened and his knuckles turned white as the familiar sight of the White Witch being carried over met his gaze. She hadn't changed at all, she was still just as cold and unforgiving in appearance. One could not rightly call her attractive, nothing about her attracted you in the least. An aura of evil surrounded her, like the stench on the body of a carcass left out in the hot sun. "Sire?" Glenstorm muttered, almost sensing the dark mood his King was in.

"I'm fine," Edmund muttered.

"Make way for Jadis! Rightful Queen of Narnia!" Dinris barked, snarling at those who dared challenge his claim. The seat wast set down and the evil witch stood, walking over to them and brushing her escorts away. She stopped just before Edmund and smirked, lifting a brow.

"Well now, isn't _this_ a surprise? How long has it been? Little Edmund, all grown up... and _my_, how you've grown..." Jadis leered. The last time she saw him, he was a weak, scared little ten year old boy. If she had known he would have grown up to be so handsome... well, no, she would have probably still tried to kill him, but perhaps not if he hadn't 'betrayed' her. He might have been a useful to her... in other ways.

Edmund shuddered in disgust at the way she was eying him. "What do you want, Jadis?" He glared, repulsed by her vile gaze on him. He knew it was not exactly a mature, professional way to speak to your adversary, but really, he was giving her all the respect she deserved... which was to say, _none_. He felt the icy grips of fear and doubt coil around his heart like a venomous snake as he stared into the intensity of the witch's glacial eyes, but refused to let it show.

"I can easily tell that you have become a respected and powerful man... you have proven so in battle. I will make a deal with you, I will offer this only once. If you want to spare your... people, you have but one choice. Come, be my King, rule with me by my side and you will have everything your heart _desires_..." Jadis reached out her hand for him, a sly smile upon her icy lips. "Otherwise..." She trailed off, letting him fill in the blanks.

"Never. You're wasting your breath, go back to your army before I cut you down here and now, where you stand," Edmund growled, his hand tightening around the hilt of his brother's sword.

"That is the wrong decision on you part, _King _Edmund_,_" Jadis mocked and raised a thin brow once more, retracting her hand. "Very well, if you want it that way, then you shall die with the rest of your pathetic army," she glared. "You're just going to betray them in the end, anyway. It is in your nature after all," she sneered. She signaled her slaves and she had her carriage turned around.

'Loathsome horrid old crone,' Edmund thought bitterly. 'She has no idea who I am now,' he thought, reassuring himself fervently. He would _not _let her evilness spawn doubt in his heart, 'Bitch,' his hand tightened on the hilt of his brother's sword. He watched her go, his heart frozen and fists white. He jumped slightly when he felt warm hands rest gently on both shoulders. He looked over to his sides and found both his sister and Natalie smiling encouragingly at him. He relaxed and smiled at them both, eternally grateful for their presence. Lucy nodded in understanding to him and walked to her tent to get ready once more.

"Edmund," Natalie began. Edmund turned to Natalie with a questioning look. In the light of the morning, he could see that she was covered in scratches, blood, sweat, and mud. And yet, she was still the most beautiful creature in that battlefield to him. "I know how hard that was for you, I just want to let you know that I'm here for you and I'm _proud_ of you," she smiled tenderly. Edmund felt the icy grips of the witch around his heart ease away as he stared into her warm eyes. Natalie was very curious about what Jadis had said about Edmund betraying them 'again'. She had read stories about the time before the Golden Age, but the details on his relationship with the White Witch were not very detailed at all. In any case, she had common sense enough to not trust anything she heard that bitch of a woman say. She would ask him about that at a later time, right now, he needed support more than anything. "You have all of us with you, my King," she smiled at him.

After a few moments of making sure everything was prepared and the army was ready to go again, Edmund approached Natalie. "Here, eat. You need to eat something before we go, you need your strength," Edmund pushed a plate of sausage and beans in front of her. He wanted her to be focused on keeping herself alive, and not worried about her energy or hunger... that type of thing could distract you and get you killed.

Natalie frowned down at the plate. It didn't look very appetizing that morning, still, she took it. "You need to eat more than I do, you know," she told him, scooping up some beans and forcing it down.

"I already did," he shook his head. "Eat quickly." Edmund turned and started heading toward his horse.

Natalie sighed and took a bite of the sausage. "Oh, ugh," Natalie cringed and spat the sausage out, a hand over her throat and mouth, feeling nausea turn her stomach to stone. 'I must be too nervous to eat,' she thought with a frown.

"Nat?" Natalie looked over at Edmund walking over. "You're not going to eat?" He had seen her nearly turn green and became concerned.

"Not hungry. No time," she shook her head.

"...Alright," Edmund nodded, deciding now was not the time to push it. He then turned to the men and women. Most of them were standing around, refitting their armor and making sure their weapons were sharp. It was time. "On your feet, soldiers! We march, now!" Edmund yelled, waiting for his Generals to echo his orders. He smiled down at Natalie weakly, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles gently, before reluctantly pulling away and mounting his steed once more. Natalie withdrew to her spot, watching her love and her best friend gallop toward the front, directing the men and women back toward the valley.

The march to the battlefield was more like an urgent run, that morning, trying to get there before the enemy advanced any more. At least the fear wasn't quite as bad this time, not so overwhelming as it was the previous day. Natalie knew what to expect this time, for the most part. There was, of course, always the risk of dying or being severely injured, she wasn't foolish enough to relax completely.

Natalie held her breath as they reached the massive clearing. Suddenly she was pushed forward roughly as the Narnian army advanced. She gasped, catching herself before she fell on her face. The witch's army had charged them as soon as they entered the valley, no doubt wanting the element of surprise as an advantage over them. It might have worked too if they weren't already expecting Jadis to try to hit them below the belt. It was clear she was looking for blood. Natalie was proud of how well she kept pace with the rest of the soldiers, once more silently thanking God that Edmund had forced her to run so much and build stamina and endurance. She would have to personally 'thank' him, when this was all over. Natalie forced her breathing steady as she ran with the army, her boots heavy in the snow. The frigid air made it difficult to run and she ran the risk of slowing down, but she would ignore the pain this time, she would not let them down. She wasn't being a pessimist when she felt that she wasn't worth too much in this battle, and she knew the success didn't depend a whole lot on her, but she _also_ knew that she _could_ make a difference for the soldiers around her. Just because she wasn't very good, didn't mean she couldn't assist.

"Keep your ranks! We aren't a rabble of barbarians!" Uthacur called from just ahead of them. Natalie was split into a group with him once more. She jerked around to see where Orecar was, worried she had been separated from him. She relaxed slightly when she saw him galloping over to her. It seemed with all the commotion he had been pushed around a little. Funny how she had come to rely on his presence, maybe Edmund hadn't been so overprotective, but just protective enough. Natalie glanced over toward the other group, quickly, looking for Edmund and Lucy. She saw Lucy directing the archers near the rear, close to the infantry in the front. They needed to be closer to the infantry this time because they were down hill and could potentially shoot their own troops. Edmund hung back with the cavalry, but even from her spot she could see that he was itching to join the infantry. Edmund was clearly more suited as a soldier than a leader, despite having shown, at least to her, that he was a fantastic one. But then, she was probably being biased.

It was fortunate that Natalie saw the arrows coming and was able to lift her shield on time. A few whizzed by her ear and she heard the thunk thunk sound of arrows getting stopped by shields near her. She squeaked in surprise when an arrow pierced right through her own shield slightly. Clearly her shield was wearing thin, it wasn't exactly great quality to begin with. 'Shit!' She cursed, worried about losing her shield completely. She didn't want to have to rely completely on Orecar, she was never much one to rely on anyone, really. She had always been strong willed and independent, which was probably why Aslan had said that she had a fighting spirit. "Hold steady..!" Uthacur demanded. "Now! Charge!" he yelled and before she knew it, Natalie found herself face to face with another assailant. It was a freaking minotaur. A MINOTAUR. Like seeing a _centaur_ for the first time hadn't been bad enough. At least she didn't pass out this time, though she almost felt like she would when he lifted an enormous, bloody, double edged battleaxe at her.

"Time to die, little girl!" The minotaur grinned. Natalie had no time for stomach retching fear, there would be plenty of time for that later. She almost forced herself flat on her stomach against the floor, dropping down quickly to avoid the slash. She had the advantage of being smaller and faster than the big brute, not to mention he was not wearing any armor... Or anything else, for that matter. Rolling away to dodge a sweep from his axe, Natalie shot to her feet, circled over and thrust her sword as quickly and as hard as she could toward his chest. She nearly gaped in surprised horror when the minotaur managed to quickly block the attack. The monster chuckled, a clearly murderous look in his eyes. Suddenly, Natalie was splashed with hot blood and she was almost seeing slow motion as the beast's head rolled off his shoulders, his grin still present on his face. Looking up, blinking the blood out if her eyes, she saw Orecar with his sword still raised. He had saved her life! "Thank-"

"No time for that now my Lady. Duck!" he yelled. Natalie once more dropped down, almost feeling Orecar's sword lunge at someone behind her. Natalie stood when he pulled back, and gave him a quick smile before turning to defend herself again. This time was a lot worse than yesterday. It seemed every time she turned around, there was someone there, trying to kill her. It was fortunate she didn't have time to think of the unspeakable horrors she was a witness to. As night rolled in, it was a miracle that Natalie was still alive. When she thought the battle would cease until the morning again, she wasn't quite as surprised as she might have been, if she didn't already know how ruthless the White Witch was, when the battle carried on deep into the night. Exhaustion had a new name by the time things started slowing down, the sun just barely making an appearance, though not quite showing over the horizon just yet. This time, it was clear that Jadis was not at the top of her game. The White Witch was losing, and she knew it.

Edmund had been doing as best as could be, under the circumstances, but he could tell that Jadis was getting desperate. They had been winning for quite some time already, after a decisive attack, knocking boulders over and rolling them over a line of unsuspecting troops. Perhaps it was the fact that the witch was using mind control of some kind? Whatever it was, she seemed to be losing control over her army, which only helped the Narnians in the end. Still, Edmund felt his fatigue effecting his skills, and he knew his troops were really at the point of exhaustion. Slicing an enemy soldier in half, he turned to see what his most hated enemy was doing. As it turned out, Jadis was heading right for him! Lucy had her bow trained right for her but Edmund gestured for her not to fire... she was his... but would he be able to defeat her?

"_Do not fear, my champion... I am with you," _Edmund heard Aslan's voice and suddenly his sword felt lighter, stronger, and somehow, endowed with something mystical, something that felt like nothing he could describe. Bracing himself for the fight to come, Edmund quickly dispatched a wayward enemy soldier that tried to attack him when he was 'distracted' and made his way toward the White Witch.

"Jadis," Edmund glared.

"Edmund," Jadis snorted unladylike. They circled each other, assessing each others weaknesses and strengths. "I've been waiting to kill you for eight years, _little King_..." Jadis sneered.

"Here's your chance to _try_," Edmund said coldly.

"Don't worry, I'll make it a quick death!" Jadis raised her staff.

"You're really going to take the coward's approach?" Edmund said quickly, refusing to eye the staff warily and kept his eyes trained on her's. Jadis paused and regarded him for a moment. "Attacking me with magic is like saying you're not strong enough to fight me without it. You're too scared of losing," he mocked her.

"Watch your tongue, boy!" Jadis snarled. She narrowed her eyes and lowered her staff. "Very well. I can defeat you just as easily without magic. I don't need it to destroy someone such as you!" She drew her sword and advanced on him. She was not prepared to find every attack she shot at him blocked effortlessly. Even using a bit of magic to aid her skill did little to slow him down. How did he manage to get so good at fighting? Truly he would have made a good addition to her court, even if he were merely a servant or a guard of some kind... she would have still found a use for him.

"Surprised?" Edmund smirked. Maybe he was getting a bit cocky, maybe he should have taken her seriously, but he had been waiting to face her like this again for just as long as she had been waiting to kill him. Edmund suddenly moved forward, shifting his body to move to the offensive, forcing her back with his deadly quick strikes, like a snake attacking it's prey. Jadis' eyes widened and she nearly stumbled back in surprise. Clearly he was the better fighter here! But then, who said she was an honest person? They called her evil, after all, so why was she constrained to rules of honor?

Jadis shot forward, using all of her weight to try to knock him off balance. Unfortunately, Edmund was much heavier than she was, but _fortunately_, he was also taken off guard and she successfully managed to make him stumble backwards. Lifting her staff up, blinded by gleeful victory and the prospect of killing him, she failed to see how quickly his reflexes were. The next thing she knew, her staff was shattered in half and she felt cold steel run through her body. Looking down, blood pouring out of her mouth, she noticed the even slit along her torso... Edmund had sliced her clean in half. The last image to enter Jadis' mind before her body crumbled to the floor, was the grim, but mildly satisfied look on her hated enemy's eyes.

Edmund watched her go down. He glanced at his sword and could see it still glowing dimly, humming with magical energy. Somehow, he was sure she would be dead for good now. Relief was the main feeling he felt, that and like he was liberated from a curse that had been tormenting him. On an impulse, Edmund turned to look for Natalie, somehow feeling like by just seeing her, he would feel reassured that all was well now, feel soothed by just seeing her... he didn't see her, but what he _did _see, was an enemy soldier standing directly behind him, weapon drawn. He didn't react fast enough this time.

Time seemed to slow for him. Edmund staggered back, his hand clutching his mortal wound as his legs buckled beneath him. He felt his lungs filling with his own blood and coughed. Groaning in pain, he fell to his knees, staring up at the gaping, wide-eyed look in his attacker's face. The crazed look seeming to vanish in an instant. "K-King Edmund? I... I-I'm so, so sorry..." The man muttered, his sword falling from his fingers, staggering backwards. It was as though a heavy fog had been lifted from his mind, a burden removed... unfortunately, this also left him with the realization that he had run a King if Narnia through! Aslan would probably have no pity for him.

It was like she could feel something had gone wrong. From the other extreme of the battlefield, she saw a soldier holding dropping a bloody sword, and Edmund clutching his stomach. She immediately felt her heart stop and lungs burn. "Ed!" Natalie screamed, abandoning her guardian and rushing into the fray, miraculously dodging arrows, blades, axes, and every other form of deadly weapon that could be found in a medieval battlefield. She ignored everything and everyone around her, just concentrating on reaching him. When she got there, the man had fallen to his knees before him and was muttering a chant of forgiveness. If she had not been so concentrated in getting to Edmund, she might have slain him herself, luckily she hadn't needed to worry about him much longer.

The man saw Natalie's great big centaur guardian rushing over, his sword ready to strike. "Please! I'm sorry! I didn't m-UAGH!" Orecar swept his greatsword, slicing the man's throat as he galloped passed, reaching his fallen King and Natalie.

"No no! No no-no-no _no_!" Natalie slid to Edmund's side, collapsing to her knees and taking the Just King by the shoulders, pulling him up, but to no avail, he was too heavy with all his armor on and too limp. 'Not again! Not him! Please not him!' she thought frantically. 'I can't lose someone else I love! Not again! Not again! Please, _God_, no!'

"My Lady... he's-... that wound..." Orecar grimaced.

"No! Shut up!" Natalie snapped at her protector who, despite being so massive, winced at her words. She then turned back to the man in her arms. "Edmund Pevensie! Wake up! You hear me? You will _not _die! I... I-I won't let you! _Wake up!_" she screamed, her vision becoming blurry with tears as she pulled him as close to her as she could, the heat from his body draining far too quickly. How could she endure so much on the battlefield, evade death so many times, but he get struck down so easily by just one man? Not even Jadis had managed to take him down! And now... now he was... "_EDMUND!_"

_TBC..._

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**End A/N:** I'm sorry for the delay, I had no time to update these past few days, but don't worry, you'll start getting the regular amount of updates now :). Go ahead and call me an evil witch or worse if you like lol. By the way, the smoke-cloud Jadis from The Voyage of the Dawn Breaker was NOT the real Jadis, and she had not seen him in the second movie either. The theme in this chapter was inspired by "The Royal We" by Silversun Pickups. The "sad" part was inspired by "Deliver Me" by Sarah Brightman – go look them up on YouTube!

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson:** :D lol frustrated yet? XD

**Allie Danger: **You have reason to be nervous now! Hope you like the drama! XD

**Guest:** Was this battle chapter better? I tried just a pinch harder lol

**Holly: **Alright, alright! Don't yell at me! XD

**narnias no.1fan: **Sure I do! I recommend thinking of a beginning and end to your story, then summarize each chapter, make an outline, have a plan, and put as much detail as you possibly can into a summary so you can later fill it in... that's how I write stories.

**Guestwholovesed:** I don't like Jadis only because there's no real character development behind her. Bad guys usually have a reason, a GOOD reason they do what they do, often times in their mind they are actually doing good in their own way, but Jadis just wants to destroy and corrupt... I admit I was too lazy to put in a back story of my own in my fic, but I didn't want to have to do all the work for CS Lewis lol... plus I'm lazy!

**Bex:** I don't do well with demands lol


	33. Chapter 32

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N: **Warning! Suggestive material in this chapter!

* * *

The early morning's golden rays lit the valley up, making those still on their feet see that the snow had turned a deep crimson. "E-Edmund," Natalie sobbed, holding the dying King close to her, rocking slightly. She did not hear the yells and frantic sounds about her, did not the feel the biting cold on her cheek, did not see those who stood around her, abandoning their weapons as the battle finally ended. All she heard was Edmund's ragged breathing, all she felt was his cold body in her arms, all she saw was the blurry images of the boy she loved, still so young, dying in her arms. "Come back to me, _please_... you promised! You promised..." she begged, moving her hand to his cheek to caress him. "I love you..." she whispered in his ear, tears sliding down her cheeks and hitting his as she leaned over him.

Edmund gasped, his eyes snapping open and his body convulsing slightly, horrid pain very obvious in his eyes and voice. "N-Nat?" he groaned.

"Ed? Edmund? You bastard! You told me you wouldn't die!" Natalie bemoan, tears running down her cheeks as she held him half way on her lap. "You told me you..." she trailed off, too overwhelmed by fear and grief to speak clearly anymore.

"Hey..." Edmund began weakly, coughing slightly. "I'm... sorry for... for scaring you..." He reached up and brushed the tears from her eyes. "I'll be... fine, don't worry," he smiled, looking slightly over her shoulder.

"Don't worry?! In case you haven't noticed, pal, you're lying in a pool of _your own blood!_" She hissed, tears still freely falling from her eyes.

"I know," Edmund chuckled.

"Just why the hell are you laughing?" Natalie asked in exasperation, exhaustion threatening to make her black out already. She had to stay strong though. How could he possibly be so cheery at a time like this?!

"Because he's not going to die!" Natalie turned sharply to see Lucy run over with a strange bottle. The healing cordial! Of course! How could she have forgotten? Lucy knelt next to them and offered Edmund the potion, who readily took a drop. Before Natalie's eyes, the color returned to Edmund's cheeks and in a moment. As soon as he sat up, Natalie threw herself on him, making him bite back a groan of pain in favor of hugging her back.

"Easy..." he said. Natalie pulled back and was about to smack him again, but he caught her wrist and pulled her into another embrace. Natalie melted and relaxed, just holding him. Lucy watched on with a cheerful smile and gasped when she found herself being pulled into a hug as well. Edmund sat there in the battlefield and hugged his girls in a decidedly strong embrace.

Lucy suddenly pulled away and smiled, nodding at him when he gave her a look. "I'm going to go try to heal whoever else I can," she told them. She kissed her brother's cheek and stood. She waved at them and jogged off into the valley.

"I thought I lost you forever," Natalie gripped him tighter, as if afraid he would vanish into thin air if she let go.

Edmund smiled, rubbing her back comfortingly. "I told you everything would be alright," he soothed her. "Come on," he helped lift her to her feet. He was still in a bit of pain, but he knew that he was now in much better condition than she was. "I'm proud of you, you know," he smiled down at her.

"Mmh?" Natalie answered wordlessly, too exhaustion to form a coherent response. "M'glad this's over..." she muttered.

"Me too," Edmund sighed. He wanted to hold her tighter, kiss her like there was no tomorrow, but he was simply too tired to do so. He settled for just holding her.

All around them, soldiers put their weapons down, their enemies recovering their minds and capturing those who continued to be a problem. The enemies that could not be quelled had to be removed or chained, tied up, whatever it took. Edmund's Generals and Lieutenants taking care of it, unfortunately, the werewolves and hagravens, with their hearts full of hate, could not be left to roam the land, killing more innocents, so they had to be put down.

The humans who had had their minds controlled by the witch, readily accepted to be taken as temporary slaves, to serve the community and make up for what they had done, and earn their freedom once more. They started by piling bodies and giving proper burials, burning and clearing the bloody field, to cleanse it of vileness. No one noticed a large lion looking down at them, watching them with his wise eyes. After a short rest, mending injuries and the like, the men packed their camps and started the long trek back to Castle Caspian. The move back was slow and tedious, the soldiers wanting to return to their families badly, but too tired to move any faster.

They arrived back at the castle, early the next morning. The captured men were split up between the dungeons, barracks, and slave quarters that served as quarters for the servants – as Caspian refused to have slaves. The Narnians went back to homes, collapsing in their beds. Lucy and Edmund bid their friends, Frederick, Glenstorm, Uthacur, and Trumpkin, a farewell until the celebration in a few days. They were relieved and surprised to see Caspian greet them in the entrance hall of the castle. He hugged his three friends, worried deathly over what had happened, why they were all so injured, if they were okay, who won, things like that. Edmund insisted his sister and girlfriend go get rest, but they refused as usual, so they retreated to the war room, where they filled the older man in.

"I'm... I'm so sorry that I could not be there..." Caspian grimaced. He looked just as healthy as he had been before all of this started. He had no trace of poison or whatever it was that had frozen him.

"You have no need to apologize," Edmund insisted, using the cloth a servant had brought for them to wipe the blood and filth from his face.

"We're just glad you're okay!" Lucy agreed.

"Come, my friends, we may speak more in the morning," he gestured them out. They agreed and shuffled toward the guest wing. Lucy hugged Natalie once more and retreated into her room, letting her friend and brother have some privacy.

"G'night..." Natalie smiled sleepily, her eyes shutting as Edmund leaned in to kiss her forehead, not caring if she was covered in blood and dirt.

"Good night, Nat," he smiled just as wearily. They separated and collapsed onto their beds.

The next day, after a much needed bath, while the servants ran from place to place, preparing for the celebration – a celebration mostly to boost moral for the Kingdom, - Caspian, Edmund, and Lucy took care of damage control. While Lucy tried to visit the homes of the soldiers who did not make it in the battle, Edmund inspected the men, making sure all was well, and Caspian wrote letters to the other Kingdoms, explaining what happened, asking for verifications to see that none of them had knowledge of this, and had not aided the White Witch willfully. Natalie made herself useful by helping coordinate the preparations of the celebration. She had little experience with that sort of thing, but she wanted to be useful and that was something she felt she could handle... after all, if she had managed to survive being in a bloody war, she could give her two-cents about what color cloth worked better on a table!

By the time night arrived, everything was prepared for the next day and the Kings and Queen had returned to the castle. "Nice job, Crow!" Caspian smiled, looking around the ball room, impressed.

"What? Didn't think I could handle a bit of decoration coordination?" Natalie lifted a brow.

"I haven't seen a ball room look this good since Susan was Queen," Lucy grinned, hugging her friend. "You and Susan would get along great!" She gushed excitedly.

"She's right, you did a great job!" Edmund smiled widely.

"Um, thanks?" Natalie blushed slightly, not used to getting so many compliments at once. Besides, it wasn't like she did all the hard work? She simply told the servants where things should be. They four ate a lively dinner, chatting and laughing with each other like nothing had happened, all of them relieved to have finally gotten rid of the evil plaguing Narnia. The reports from the other Kingdoms had come in, saying none of them had been aware of what had happened and promised to send their support if they needed it. All was well in the land, and it was certainly an excellent cause for celebration.

The four bid each other good night, leaving to their respected rooms. Edmund and Natalie once again lingered before each other, smiling. "I'll uh, see you tomorrow, then? Big day!" Natalie said a tad nervously. Honestly, why was she acting so nervous around him?

"Yes, big day," Edmund nodded. "Will you dance with me tomorrow?" he asked, stepping closer.

"Sure... I suppose..." Natalie blushed and played with a strand of hair. She imagined she knew why she was feeling so awkward. This was the first time they were truly alone since that night before the war. They had not had a chance to release some of the tension between them since that time they had been alone in the tent, either. Both of them felt like they were on coiled springs and if they didn't do something about it soon, they would snap.

"I'll... see you tomorrow, then," Edmund said awkwardly, leaning in to kiss her cheek before turning sharply and heading to his room. Natalie bit her lip as she watched him go. She wondered why he was holding back so much, but perhaps it was better this way. Let them relax a bit more, let things return to normal, then they could address that issue.

The next day, Natalie awoke early that morning with a rapid knock on her door. She knew who it was and knew why the knock was so urgent. Opening the door, she blinked when Lucy swept in, heading right for her wardrobe. "I can dress myself, you know..." Natalie said dryly.

"We're going to have to get the tailor to tweak some of these dresses..." Lucy was muttering to herself, clearly not paying attention to her. She turned to her finally and pressed her lips together, eying her critcally. "You've grown a bit more... you're a bit taller than when we first met and you're wider too," she mentioned.

"Are you calling me fat?" Natalie asked teasingly.

"Huh? Oh! Of course not! No! Not at all!" Lucy blushed in embarrassment. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-"

"I'm joking, Lu," Natalie laughed softly, cutting her friend's panic off.

"Oh," she sighed in relief. "Well, okay..." Lucy blushed again. "Err, yes, anyway. I think this one,-" she pulled out a silver and blue dress, "-should work just fine for now. Do you still need help with your make-up?"

"No, I think I've got that covered now," Natalie answered, taking the dress and standing with it in front of her full-length mirror.

"You're going to match with Ed," Lucy grinned.

"Is _that _why you chose it?" Natalie rolled her eyes.

"...Maybe a little..." Lucy giggled.

"And you know, you grew a bit too, I think," Natalie smiled.

Lucy grinned back. "Come on, let us prepare and then we can help each other with our hair!"

As usual, Edmund and Caspian sat on their seats in the ball room, smiling at those who could attend, as they waited for the women so the celebration could begin. As soon as they were announced, they stood and looked over to the entrance. Once again, their breaths were caught in their throats. Seeing as both men thought of Lucy as their sister, their reactions toward her were vastly different. Natalie, on the other hand... It had been several weeks since the last ball but Natalie was still a sight for sore eyes. She was not quite as gorgeous as some of the women in the land, but she was still beautiful to them.

"Watch how you look at my Lady, Caspian," Edmund smacked his friend on the arm. He knew Caspian would never challenge him for Natalie, but he wouldn't miss the chance to assert his "claim" either. Natalie was _his_, after all! And _he_ was _her's_.

"Huh? Oh, um, right..." Caspian flushed. "She's like a sister to me, anyway," he shrugged. 'But that doesn't mean I can't admire her beauty!' he added mentally.

Edmund shook his head at his friend but left the table and went over to the girls with him. The men took the women by the arms, hooking their elbows together with them, and walked with them toward the table. The four stood there and Caspian welcomed the guests and announced the start of the celebration. "So... shall we dance?" Edmund asked, turning to Natalie with an eager smile.

Lucy was right, she _did _match with Edmund. He wore a light blue royal robe with silver linings, white boots, white gloves, and a white cape. A silver crown lay atop his head, as opposed to the gold one of the "High King" she had seen him wearing before. He looked downright dashing! "Alright," Natalie smiled back brightly, accepting his offered hand, and letting him lead her to the floor.

Edmund stood back and placed an arm over his chest, taking one step back, he bowed to her. Natalie grinned and curtseyed, bowing her head to him. Edmund once more held his hand to her and she accepted it readily. She blushed slightly when he kissed her knuckles, and laughed as he pulled her over and twirled her around before bringing her against him. They then began to move across the floor, their eyes never leaving each other. As they danced, holding each other close, moving to the music as if they were the only two people in the large antechamber, people around them admired them. They had a strong chemistry and it attracted people to watch them. They looked like a perfect puzzle, a completed soul, like they were meant to be in each others arms and it would almost be a crime if they were not. When the music finished, the two just kept swaying until a new song begun to play.

"They're so lovely together," Lucy sighed dreamily, watching her brother and friend dancing gracefully. The older girl certainly got better at dancing! She no longer stepped on his feet so much! "Look how much they want to be in each others arms," she sighed again. "It's so romantic..."

"Edmund should just ask her hand in marriage already," Caspian smirked.

"Oh! I agree!" Lucy gushed.

When the celebration was over, late that night, Edmund continued to hold Natalie, though they no longer swayed to the music. They pulled away slightly and smiled at each other. Without a word, Edmund led his love to the guest wing, toward her room. "Ed... can I... may I stay with you, tonight?" Natalie asked in a soft whisper, refusing to meet his gaze, a strong blush on her cheeks. Edmund knew what she was asking and held her tighter, walking passed her room, making sure Caspian and Lucy or anyone else was not around to see them walk into his chambers together.

Natalie, with her arms around his neck, looked deep into his eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you," she mentioned softly, repeating what she had told him before. "I felt like my world had ended, far worse than when I... when I lost my parents and brother..." She grimaced but kept talking. "You've become a part of me now, and I just couldn't bear to lose you... I love you, I'm _in love _with you, so you better not do that again!" She held him tighter.

"I know, I'll try not to," he sighed sadly. "I shouldn't have let my guard down, I'm sorry" he apologized.

"You were tired, it's understandable," she reassured him.

"No, not for a King, not for a General," he shook his head. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"Well, you're forgiven," she smiled and hugged herself to him.

Edmund nuzzled her cheek with his. "I'll make it up to you," he whispered huskily, pulling back to kiss her tenderly, caressing the stray strands of her long hair out of her face to cupped her cheek.

As they kissed softly, they backed up toward the bed, pulling each others clothes off slowly and caressing each other as they went. They fell upon the bed and simply gazed into each others eyes, lost in their arms. This time, when Edmund removed his tunic, he held still, letting Natalie admire him. Natalie bit her lip, running the tips of her fingers over his strong physique. He was admirably built, for an eighteen year old. He had the body of a twenty-five year old gladiator, and the scars that went along with it. Most women would have probably been put off by seeing the discolored scratches, healed wounds across his shoulders and chest, but she found it _sexy_. His nearly black hair fell over his eyes somehow, it being shorter than it had been since they met, and his intense dark bronze eyes bore into her as her eyes swept over him.

Natalie felt herself shudder underneath him and tried hard not to _react _to him, especially as one of his hands slid over her bare leg slowly, pushing it up so he could shift closer to her, suggestively pressing against her, grinding slightly and smirking when she made a sound of approval. As Natalie leaned over to kiss his scars softly, Edmund shut his eyes, enjoying the attention he was getting. He moved in a bit more, so she could more easily each him and lay butterfly kisses across his shoulder and chest. When she pulled away again, he leaned over and captured her lips with his in a deep, tantilizing kiss.

At least this time, she was prepared for him. Drawing the covers over them, they delved into each other, taking their time, this time, exploring each other, making sure that they were really there, really alive and well, that they had not lost each other in the battle, letting their love for each other heal the deep wounds that no one could see. Peace and tranquility fell upon them like a thick cloak of serenity, and they fell into restful sleep, content to hold each other throughout the night.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N:** Aww, sweet! This chapter was inspired by "Set The Fire To The Third Bar" by Snow Patrol. The ending, the "romantic" scene, was written while listening to "Can't Take my Eyes off You" by Cary Brothers, fit the mood pretty well. The reason I took a bit to update this time was because I was giving time for others to review as well! Review, damn it! Lol.

Shout-Out:

**Allie Danger: **Lol you're so impatient! I'm very glad you like it!

**Guest:** Lol, or is she?

**To Lazy to Login:** You know what they say about people who make assumptions!

**narnias no.1fan: **I would never write a tragedy... lol, well, I did once, but then I quickly wrote something to counter it lol. It goes against my very nature! I'm too much of a sap, for that, oh snap! Lol! Don't mind me... XD


	34. Chapter 33

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

**A/N: **Warning! Suggestive material in this chapter!

* * *

Natalie woke feeling sore but incredibly happy. She glanced up sleepily, seeing her boyfriend flopped on his back while she had slept pressed against his chest in his large bed. One of his arms hung off the bed while the other held her close to him. She smiled and trailed her fingers across his chest lightly. She moved her finger tips down to where his wound had been, noticing an odd scar there and traced it. "I got that scar on my first trip to Narnia," Edmund's voice suddenly said above her head. Natalie gasped slightly, startled, and looked up to see him gazing down at her. "She had run me through when I tried to get her from getting to Peter..." he explained and took her hand, kissing her fingers.

"Edmund?" Natalie asked softly, still tracing her fingers over his scar.

"Hm?" Edmund responded simply, watching her.

"Can you... can you tell me,-"

"What that _witch_ meant? About me betraying people?" Edmund supplied knowingly.

"If... if you don't mind?" Natalie blushed, looking up at him through her lashes.

"I don't," he smiled. "She can't hurt me anymore," he took her hand and kissed her palm slowly, working his way to her wrist, deliberately taking his time, making pleasant shivers spread all over her. He pulled back after a moment and had a calculated look on his face. "A long time ago," he began. "I sold my siblings out to Jadis, for the prospect of becoming her King and getting all the Turkish Delights I could ever want," he grimaced. "I was a stupid kid and I was so angry at my brother. I just wanted to feel big and important too. I know that's not a good excuse by any stretch, but..." he sighed, his expression was bitter. "In the end, I betrayed Jadis as well, told Aslan everything and fought her alongside my brother," he told her. "Still, my guilt over that stupid decision I had made tortured me for years," he sighed again.

"I can't begin to understand what you felt, but I know what it's like to be tortured by a decision you made," Natalie told him, reaching up to run her hands through his hair, soothing him. "I felt that way when I refused to go with my parents... Sometimes I thought if I had just delayed them a bit longer, they could have missed their flight and had to take the one the next day... then they would have been alive," Natalie admitted. "It's part of a past that neither of us can never change, but it is also a past we both learned from, isn't it? You learned to treasure your family, treasure loyalty and you became a better person because of it," she smiled.

"You're right... I never thought of it that way," Edmund grinned and leaned in, catching her lips in a grateful kiss. He pulled back and smiled again. "I love you, have I mentioned that before?"

"Hmm, no I don't remember hearing you say that before," Natalie teased. "I could stand to hear it a bit more though," she grinned. "I love you too," she sighed, reaching over again to stroke his jaw lovingly.

Natalie all of a sudden felt a powerful need for him, almost making her gasp, as if this would be the last time they would be together like this again for a long time. Edmund must have sensed it because he had moved toward her, kissing her cheek softly and holding her close. Natalie flushed, biting her lip, as Edmund rolled over on top of her again, trapping her underneath him again, pulling her arms around his neck and legs around his middle. His fingers did tantalizing things to her as he swept them over her naked body. She felt him against her again and tried desperately to calm her racing heart down, but to no avail.

"I love you," he whispered again, against her neck, and then there was no more actual talking between them, besides the whispers of love and sounds of approval. About an hour later, Edmund and Natalie forced themselves to dress looking away from each other, on opposite ends of the room, lest they never leave the room that morning.

This time, Caspian and Lucy were equally surprised to see both Edmund _and _Natalie leaving Edmund's chambers. "Wha?" Caspian uttered incoherently.

"Natalie, what did you need with Edmund so early in the morning? It's surprising to see either of you awake so early!" Lucy smiled.

'Bless her, she's so innocent,' Natalie chuckled inwardly, but was still unable to hide her blush from Caspian's reaction. Clearly, he was _not _so innocent. Luckily, he kept quite about it and Natalie went along with what Lucy had suggested, making up a story about being afraid that she had dreamt he hadn't made it and died in the battlefield. Just the thought brought a tear to her eye, it wasn't a pleasant thought at all, but it worked to solidify her little lie. Lucy bought it and patted her arm sympathetically. Natalie and Edmund inwardly breathed sighs of relief and didn't miss the knowing smirk from Caspian. It was probably wrong to fool Lucy like that, but neither of them wanted to 'taint' Lucy's purity, besides, even if she _could _handle it, they probably wouldn't hear the end of it!

Breakfast with everyone went as usual. Edmund and Caspian debated over something, the testosterone level in the room rising, making the girls roll their eyes. They laughed together, teased each other, talked about generally anything that popped into their heads. It was a time of bliss and peace. They hadn't felt this good for a long time, and they hoped it would never end... unfortunately, it would have to. Hearing a sound coming from the hall way, they turned to see a great lion standing by the door to the dining hall. The four of them quickly stood. Natalie followed them as they went over to kneel before him.

"Greetings, young ones," the lion walked over to them and Natalie had to force herself not to gawk in astonishment. She suddenly knew exactly who this way! She had seen him so many times before, had heard his voice soothe her. Aslan was as big an powerful looking up close as all the stories she had heard told and read since arriving to Narnia. He was truly a sight to behold, beautiful and terrifying at the same time, at yet, she did not feel afraid of him.

"A-Aslan," Natalie bowed to him with the others, falling to her knees.

"Rise, my children," Aslan chuckled. They did as they were told. "Natalie," he smiled at the oldest girl there.

"Y-Yes?"

"Natalie, my daughter, come closer, dear, kneel before me," he told her. Natalie blinked in confusion but received excited and assuring looks from her friends. She walked over to the magnificent lion and knelt. "Natalie, you have achieved greatness in your time here. You have overcome your fear, found love, fought against evil, and prevailed in everything you set your heart and mind to. You have become everything befitting a Queen of Narnia. And so, I here by declare you, Queen Natalie, the Serene," he finished.

Natalie gaped in surprise, not hearing the cheers and applause from those around her. "Sir... I... I don't think I deserve such an honor..." She protested weakly.

"Hmm, a great King once said something very similar to me," Aslan smiled, winking at Caspian, who promptly blushed. "And I shall tell you what I have told him. The very reason you believe you do not deserve it, or that you feel you are not ready, tells me that you are. Arise, Queen Natalie," he nodded to her. Natalie bit her lip but did so, blushing at the attention she was now aware of from the others. "Once a King or Queen of Narnia, _always _a King or Queen of Narnia," he said.

"Th-Thank you, Sir," Natalie stuttered.

"You deserve it," Aslan smiled. "Unfortunately, my new Queen, you will not have a chance to live up to your new title, at this time..." he added sadly.

"What? Why – Sir?" Natalie asked curiously.

"The time has come, my child," he told her simply.

"Time has..." Natalie's eyes widened. It was time to go home! But... that meant... Natalie turned to look at her friends and at her love. Going 'home' meant losing Edmund! No! "But... but Sir! I- I can't... I can't go home!" She gasped, turning back toward the enormous lion.

"And why not, young one?" Aslan smiled knowingly, the wind moving his mane gently.

"Because I- because, Sir, I found love here. I have a life here! I... I didn't back... back home! O-Okay? I can't because... because I can't leave my new family..." Tears were now streaming down her cheeks. "Not when I almost lost Edmund once... I can't lose him again! Please, please, Sir," Natalie fell to her knees before him, a lump of emotion in her throat keeping her from continuing. Aslan stood, gazing down at the sobbing woman before him. And, to everyone's surprise, started to chuckle.

"S-Sir?" Edmund probed softly. He too was feeling almost betrayed by him, desperately wanting to go over and take Natalie in his arms and refuse to let go. He could not go against Aslan's word, however, so he forced himself to hold back, no matter how much it greatly pained him to do so.

"Forgive me," Aslan said, his laughter dying down. He smiled at Natalie and bent down, nuzzling her cheek, making her jump in surprise. And did she just hear him _purr? _She was under the impression lions didn't do that! Whatever it was, she instantly felt better. "Do you really think I would allow you to experience what you have, and then simply take it all away?" he asked wisely.

"Huh?" Natalie blushed at her silly response.

"I was, in fact, not talking about your previous home before Narnia, my child," he all but smirked. "You do not belong there anymore," he told her.

"I... I don't?" Natalie blinked.

"No, you don't," he shook his head. "I was aware of your downward spiral before coming here. Everything that happened to you happened for a reason, my child. The unfortunate death of your parents and dear brother, your pushing people away, refusing to make connections with anyone... it was all to prepare you for this place. I am sorry, my daughter, I know they were difficult things you had to deal with. It was a hard lesson to learn for anyone, to learn to truly value life, to value friendship and know what it was to truly love. My child, you have learned all of these things, and so much more," Aslan nuzzled her again when the mention of her deceased family made fresh tears trail down her cheeks, sending a wave of comfort through her. "What's more, you are right, you made a new family here with Caspian, Edmund and Lucy... but your new family does not end there," he smiled mysteriously.

"What do you mean?" Natalie asked curiously.

"I mean to say, you are with child, dear one..." He laughed mirthfully once more at the group's astonished expressions.

"What?!" Natalie's jaw dropped.

"Whoa..." Caspian's eyes were just as wide. Somehow, with the way Edmund and Natalie spent so much time alone together, he wasn't so surprised.

"Oh my goodness!" Lucy's eyes bugged out. When had they..?

Natalie's head was spinning. 'I'm... but that can't-! Really?' She couldn't form a coherent thought. Was that why she... but no, surely a week was too soon to be having... _symptoms_, right? In any case, Aslan wouldn't lie! He just did not lie! She was-! With Edmund... oh, holy crap. But would she make a good mo- ...m-mother? Who would she have to help her? Would she have to return home or..?

Aslan cut in to her inner panic attack. "Your life and the life of your unborn child are now irreversibly linked into Edmund's world, as was foreseen. As I said, none of this happened as an accident, my daughter. You belong to his world far more than the one that raised you. So I will ask you this, will you go with him, live your life in his world?" He asked, making her breath catch at his offer. "Take heed, young one, for the decision you make now is not to be taken lightly. If you choose to accept, the 'ancient magics' will move the universe for you..."

Natalie continued to gape speechlessly, until she realized again how incredibly rude that was an shut her mouth with an audible snap. "I..." She glanced over at the positively stunned, jubilant, and hopeful looking Edmund, and shut her eyes, taking a breath to steady herself. "Of course I wish to do this. My heart belongs to him, as does the... the child I carry..." Natalie placed a hand over her belly, a flush covering her face, including a dazed look in her eyes. She was having Edmund's baby! Unreal... and yet, that made so much sense, felt so right.

"Very well," Aslan nodded.

Meanwhile, Edmund was just as stunned as Natalie. 'I'm going to be a... a... a...'

"Edmund, are you ready, my son?" Aslan cut into Edmund's astonishment with an amused smile.

"Wha-err uh- yes, of course! Absolutely! I am! Yes!" Edmund replied in a fluster.

Aslan chuckled affectionately. "A simple 'yes' would have been enough, my child," he smiled. "Good. Then I wish you and yours the very best," he said softly. "You may say your farewells to your friends," he nodded toward Caspian, the centaurs, and the others there. Trumpkin pretended to stretch to hide his tearful eyes.

Many hugs and best wishes were exchanged. Caspian hugged the three of his closest friends tightly, trying to fit them all in his arms. "You will be greatly missed, my friends! Do try to stay out of trouble?" Caspian smiled almost tearfully at them. "I know you'll be a fantastic family. Edmund, you'll be a strong and wise father, Natalie you'll be a nurturing and fantastic mother, and Lucy, you be sure to spoil your niece or nephew rotten, okay?"

"We promise," Lucy laughed tearfully.

"Come, children, it is time..." Aslan gestured toward the tree, which unfurled it's branches, revealing the familiar portal. "Perhaps you shall see this place again?" Aslan suggested enigmatically as he turned to them again.

"That would be awesome," Natalie grinned.

"Go now, my children," Aslan smiled. The three nodded and stepped toward the tree, waving at their friends.

The moment Natalie stepped through the portal, her hands being held by her boyfriend and her best friend on either side of her, her vision went black. And then... slowly... images began to race before her eyes. At first, it was all blurry, double-imaged flashes that rushed by like a slide-show. She saw her parents, she saw them waving goodbye to her as they boarded the plane. She then saw a completely different image, it was her parents, but they were wearing strange clothes and waving goodbye to her again, but it was different, everything looked different.

She was then seeing herself getting the news of her parents' and brother's death from a police officer, at ten years old. Once again, the image shuddered and shifted, repeating itself but in a very different way. She saw the police officer again, but he was different, and dressed in very old clothes. More images were replaced like this, images she remembered seeing. Not replaced, but pushed aside to make room for the new, different memories. The next couple were altogether completely different. She first saw herself being led from the orphanage she grew up in, to some heartless couple's house who only used her to get a paycheck out of her. But then, the image changed to her meeting a kind, elderly British man, taking a liking to her and offering to stay with him back in England, she had agreed.

She saw herself then in court, at sixteen, becoming independent. The memory changed drastically then. This time, instead of becoming independent at sixteen, as it was impossible in that time period, she saw herself as eighteen. She saw herself mourning over the death of the kind old man that cared for her for eight years. She saw herself becoming independent at court again, but at eighteen. She saw herself then purchasing an old, abandoned house in Finchley, using the small fortune, an inheritance the old man left her, to fix it up and live there. In that town, she met Lucy in the boarding school she had walked passed, and then met her brother. In those memories, they became fast friends. The next images were even fuzzier. She saw herself being led by the same janitor, wearing different clothes, down a different street to get to her home when the street she had been walking down was under construction. There had been an awful storm and she sought shelter in a store she had not seen before, but as soon as she stepped through the door, she found herself in Narnia.

Aslan had made it so her original memories were still there, intact, but he placed in her mind new memories to be able to function in the time she was sent to. The new memories would take precedence in her mind, though she would always be aware of the changes, but not troubled by them. This way, her naturally inquisitive mind would not endlessly seek answers to something that felt different, out of place. From there, everything happened exactly as it happened before. She saw rapid flashes of genuine memories she made in Narnia, up until the moment she stepped through the portal with Edmund and Lucy, coming to a full circle. And then... she saw no more.

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I hope that last bit didn't confuse anyone! If it did, PM me and I'll explain! No, this isn't the ending lol. Hahaha! To those of you who guessed it right, congrats! Virtual cookies for you! Yes, she's pregnant! She's having an Edmund junior! Lol! How cute. And before anyone says anything, yes, I'm aware it's not normal for someone to have "morning sickness" after just a week, the "nausea" Natalie was feeling was more of a foreshadowing! Kudos to you who guessed right!

Shout-Out:

**Allie Danger: **Of COURSE I would include Aslan! It wouldn't be a Narnia story without him, after all!

**Guest: **Me too!

**narnias no.1fan: **Agreed!


	35. Chapter 34

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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The world, it felt like, had shifted on it's axle, spun the opposite direction, inverted itself, and exploded with new life, new color. The universe moved and things that had been, had now been altered. Something stirred and Natalie Valentine found herself lying on a very comfortable surface. Natalie groaned in protest as someone gently shook her awake. "Wake up, dear," a voice said. Natalie's eyes snapped open. She knew she shouldn't know that voice, it sounded both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. That could only mean one thing, she hadn't been dreaming all of those visions! Looking over her shoulder, she realized she had been laying on a couch. A kind looking older woman stood by her, smiling fondly at her. She knew who this was... this was Edmund's mother! "I hope you slept alright on the couch, it wasn't too uncomfortable?"

"Uh-" Natalie cleared her throat and tried a smile on. "No, ma'am, it was quite alright," she said, surprised when she spoke with a slight English accent. Where did that come from?

"Good!" The woman, Natalie recalled her name being Helen, said with a smile. "Forgive me for waking you so early in the morning. You were twisted up and thrashing in your sleep! I thought you were having a nightmare?" Helen mentioned in concern.

"I'm perfectly fine, thank you," Natalie smiled as brightly as she could, so early in the morning. She was a bit confused. Why was she asleep on the couch? Natalie winced suddenly, a headache making her shut her eyes tight for a second. The headache brought a fresh memory, a memory of being asked by Lucy if she would like to spend the weekend with them. Natalie lived home alone and enjoyed spending time with her friends, even if she was supposedly just getting used to even having friends, and agreed. The memory showed her playing games with her friends, helping Lucy with the house chores, and bedding down for the night on their couch, having refused to take Edmund's bed when he offered. The memory _also _showed she and Edmund sharing looks when no one else was watching, soft smiles, secret touches.

"Natalie?" Said girl blinked back to reality and blushed.

"Sorry, just a little head ache," She smiled reassuringly. "What is the time?" She asked curiously.

"Six in the morning," Helen answered, smoothing out her nightgown. "If you like, you can prepare the morning coffee? I know how much you love it," Helen smiled.

"That would be great," Natalie grinned, feeling relieved that the older woman clearly seemed to know her pretty well.

"Good. Excuse me, dear, while I go finish freshening up for the morning," Helen smiled once more before turning and heading back to her and her husband's room.

After preparing the coffee, having known exactly where everything was and what to do, she made her way to the guest bathroom, again somehow knowing the way, and found her tooth brush. It felt very strange not recognizing things and yet recognizing them at the same time. She knew her tooth brush was the green one, her favorite color. Edmund's was the blue one, and Lucy's was the yellow one. 'Tooth brush, tooth paste, shampoo, body-wash, sponges, a proper toilet! How I missed the simple conveniences of this world...' she mused. She thought about taking a bath, but oddly enough, couldn't remember if she brought a bag with a change of clothes, and where it would be... odd, she could remember everything else but that! She knew where she lived though, it was just down the street, all she had to do was go 'home' and take a shower there. Ah, she didn't smell bad anyway. Natalie washed up as best she could, brushed her hair, and left.

As she waited for everyone to wake up, she took a walk around the house, looking at the photographs. It was so strange, she knew she had never been here, and yet, she also felt right at home. A certain picture caught her attention and she went over to it, picking it up. It was a photo of the whole family. Mr. Pevensie – John, she recalled, who was just as handsome as his son, sporting almost cropped black hair and a very neat and trimmed beard, Helen, Edmund, Lucy... and Peter and Susan. She frowned thoughtfully, they looked oddly familiar, like most things and people did to her now. They were very young in the picture, probably before they first arrived in Narnia. Natalie smiled fondly at the decidedly unhappy looking Edmund, with his chubby cheeks and little frown. He was certainly a cute little boy and she would make sure to tease him relentlessly when she got a chance.

Edmund. Natalie placed her hand on her belly and blushed. Oh, God, that's right! She was pregnant! She was torn between feeling incredibly worried and incredibly elated. This was nineteen forty-eight... which meant getting knocked up before marriage was a definite no-no and if people found out, she would probably be shunned and exiled to like Siberia, or something! She could just imagine it now, huddled with her baby in an igloo forced to eat her own boots. Shaking her head at her ridiculous imagination, she set the photo back down and took a shaky breath. Okay, so she must be a little under a week or so late, maybe a week at most... she still had time to figure out what to do! Surely Aslan wouldn't have sent her here only to cause her more stress! Unless this was another lesson or test? Natalie sighed and sat back down on the couch. At least she knew Edmund would never leave her side, he was just that amazing a man. Even if he had not wanted to have a child, she knew he would always be there for her. The thought brought her comfort.

'I'm having Edmund's baby!' She thought, a wide grin splitting across her face and she fell back against the couch. She wondered if it was a boy or a girl... what would they name them? Would she be a good mom? She barely knew what a mom was like, besides the ten years she got to know her own... it wasn't exactly enough. Maybe Helen would help? The thought made her smile. Helen felt like an aunt to her already, she was such a kind woman. Even though part of her told her she didn't know her, she knew what type of person she was the moment she woke up to her motherly concerned smile. One thing was for sure, she knew Edmund would make a great dad. She could just imagine him spoiling their daughter rotten to the core, he would be wrapped around her little finger. She could also see him teaching his son to be a gentleman, teaching him to ride a horse, teaching him fencing, and taking him to 'football' games. Another soft smile graced her lips and she placed her hand over her belly again. She never thought in a million years that this would happen. To her of all people! She had spent so long keeping people away from her... and then, in under two months, she made friends, fell in love, and was now having a baby! When this all started, she had been grieving over the loss of her family... now she was about to have one of her own! 'Thank you, Aslan...' Natalie shut her eyes and smiled.

The sound of people coming down the hallway made her look up sharply. She saw John and Helen with Edmund and Lucy in tow. They had been bantering about something and Edmund was blushing. Edmund... their eyes caught each other and they held their gaze. Natalie stood and walked over to them. John and Helen gave them odd looks as they walked passed them. "Edmund," Natalie uttered softly, gazing at him as if she hadn't seen him in years.

"Natalie," Edmund muttered back. They stood there, staring at each other with such awe and fighting the strong urge to run toward each other and express their relief to see each other.

"Why does it sound like the two of you haven't seen each other in years?" Helen laughed. "You saw each other just yesterday!"

"R-Right," Edmund blushed. Of course they did, that's how it felt like to his mother, but for them... well, it _was_ the same really, but there had been that fear that they would wake up and not be with each other anymore! Edmund smiled charmingly at her and held his arm out to her. Natalie smiled back and hooked her own arm around his, letting him 'escort' her to the dining room.

John chuckled to himself as he saw his son acting like a gentleman to a girl, it was certainly a switch to what he was used to seeing from his youngest son! Maybe he missed a lot? He had been gone a long time... first the war, then the trip to America. He hoped his son didn't resent him for it. As they sat down for breakfast, Helen insisted their guest have a seat when the girl tried to offer her assistant with preparing breakfast. John liked Natalie, she was always eager to please, had a good heart, a good head on her shoulders, and knew how to get his son to behave like a gentleman. If Edmund asked the girl to marry him, John would be certainly give them his blessing.

During breakfast that morning, Edmund made sure to sit separate from Natalie, giving her an apologetic smile when she frowned as he pulled away from her slightly. She nodded in understanding, not wanting to bring their... _relationship _to the attention of his parents either. They sat in opposite ends of the table. Natalie glanced at him and smiled a little painfully. "So how was your trip to America?" Edmund asked, trying to distract himself from wanting to go over there and pull Natalie into an embrace. He had a feeling she was doing that on purpose.

"I thought we spoke about this before? It went well, actually, _very_ well... I um, well, I might have news to discuss with all of you, after breakfast," John smiled at his wife as she poured him some coffee. "Thank you, love."

"Where is Susan?" Lucy asked, taking a bite of her toast.

"Are you children quite alright?" Helen frowned in concern. It was as if they had forgotten months worth of events! "She is still staying with her friend in America, finishing her studies before winter break," she explained.

"Right! I'm sorry, that must have slipped my mind!" Lucy blushed, hiding her embarrassment behind a glass of orange juice.

"Natalie, dear, would you like some more?" Helen offered her some more scrambled eggs.

"Yes, please," Natalie accepted. She hadn't had scrambled eggs in years! Odd, they had eggs in Narnia, but not once since she was there had she had any scrambled!

After breakfast, John wiped the corners of his mouth and smiled once more as his wife took his empty dish. He waited for her to sit back down and placed his hands folded over the table. "As I have mentioned before, I have some important news," he began, getting their attention. "There may be a possibility that I'll be going back to America, temporarily. They dean of Harvard, Richard, and I got along famously and he'd like me to teach one of the theological classes until the original professor gets over his pneumonia," John explained. "I have some miles saved up if any of you would like to come with?"

"How exciting!" Lucy's eyes shone. "It sounds positively marvelous, dad!"

"Unfortunately, I only have enough miles saved for one more ticket..." He gave his wife an apologetic look. Helen grinned and waved it off.

"You should go, Lu," Edmund smiled.

"Edmund, you would let your sister go?" John looked at his youngest son in surprise. He was aware how much his son had wanted to visit America, and he had also been aware of how selfish he was, at least, when he was but a boy. He certainly changed a lot since the last time he saw the boy! Again, he felt regret for not being there for a lot of the boy's life.

"Of course," Edmund smiled at his father.

John narrowed his eyes suspiciously when his son's eyes ventured over to the quite girl on the other side of the table. Ah hah. He smirked. "I see," he answered in amusement. So he _did _have an ulterior motive? It wasn't _just _from the kindness of his heart, though he had no doubt it was as well. He caught his son's eye again and chuckled when the boy blushed and looked back down at his unfinished plate of food. "Then it's settled. If I choose to accept this temporary position, I'll take Lucy with me," he smiled at the excitement in his daughter's eyes.

Later that morning, Edmund found Natalie helping his mom in the kitchen, even when she had been told she hadn't needed to lift a finger. Edmund smiled, leaning against the door and watching her. After a few moments, his mom excused herself to get the laundry and thanked Natalie for finishing up. Natalie had not noticed him. As he watched her drying the dishes, he imagined their son or daughter next to her, playing with pots and pans as a baby. He could also see them a little older, helping her as best they could, or tugging on her dress and putting their little arms around her, hugging their mama. He felt an embarrassing lump of emotions clog his throat and he forced himself to clear his throat, walking over to her. "Ed," Natalie turned her head over to smile at him as she dried the dish she was working on.

"Natalie, can we talk in private? My room perhaps?" He asked, taking a wet dish and helping her dry them with an extra cloth. He knew what he had to do now, not only did he want it badly, for very selfish reasons, but it was also the smartest thing to do, especially with Natalie pregnant.

"Oh, um..." Natalie blushed. 'Talking' with him usually meant the opposite. "I don't think that would be appropriate..."'

"I really mean talking this time," Edmund blushed just as brightly. "Not that the other kind of talking hasn't crossed my mind..." he added in a whisper so only she could hear. Natalie's heart sped up and she turned back to the dishes, biting her lip. Oh it crossed her mind as well! Several times she had to keep herself from going over to him, putting her arms around him, and kissing him. She wanted him to hold her so badly it was almost painful. And now that they were alone... but no, Helen or John could walk in at any moment! Their eyes met once more and it was everything they could do to stop from dropping the dishes they held and jumping each other.

"You two can talk in the drawing room," Lucy said as she walked in, mercifully cutting through the building tension between them. "I wasn't eaves dropping, I promise, I just came in to see if I could help too," she smiled at them. "Go on, I'll finish up here and make and excuse for you," she motioned them to skedaddle.

Natalie followed Edmund to the small study, glancing curiously at the bookshelves, spotting some interesting literature she might one day like to look into. She nearly collided with Edmund when he stopped in the middle of the room. He turned sharply and she saw an array of emotions spill over his eyes. "Ed?" She probed, wondering what was troubling him so much.

"Nat..." he frowned thoughtfully. "You love me, right?"

"Of course, what sort of a question is that?" She raised an eyebrow. Now she was getting worried. "Ed... you're not, _dying, _are you?" She asked, gripping the back of the office chair she stood by.

"No! No, of course not," Edmund assured her.

"Then what is it? I haven't seen you look this serious since..." Natalie trailed off. By the look in his face, she figured she didn't need to finish.

"I'm sorry about that," he apologized. "What I want to ask is, will you..." he trailed off again and gathered his thoughts. Natalie's eyes widened when he slipped down onto one knee. He couldn't be... but he didn't even have a- but was he really-? "Look, I know we haven't known each other that long, and I know you have this fear of losing loved ones, but... if you think you can risk it, would you consider... will you.. uh, the thing is, the baby will also need a f-father, so it would also... but not just because you're pregnant! I want to as well! You have no idea how much! So, um, will you?" Edmund stampered, squirming slightly and wincing at how foolish he sounded.

He was! Oh holy crap he was! "Ed, are you... asking me to marry you?" Natalie asked wide-eyed, her heart hammering away against her chest.

"Would that be so terrible?" He asked cautiously.

"I..." Natalie was speechless. She had only met him over a month ago... and yet, somehow she just couldn't picture her life without him. She loved him, she was _in love _with him, wholeheartedly, and truly could see the two of them spending the rest of their lives together. Besides, he was incredibly right! Why hadn't she thought of that? Their baby would need a father and she wanted to be married to him before they had him or her! Not only would it save them from humiliation, but it was simply the right thing to do... not to mention she also _really wanted to._

"Nat?" Ed asked, worry clouding his eyes. "I- I know I don't have a ring to give you, _yet_, and I know this is sudden, but-"He gasped softly when he suddenly found her in his arms. Natalie grinned and kissed him. "So... Is that a yes?" Edmund asked with a grin.

"Yes, you silly boy! I'll marry you!" Natalie laughed, joyously. Edmund laughed with her, picking her up and spinning her around, before setting her back down and kissing her. Their kiss was a passionate one, filled with hope, joy, love, and desire. They kissed with all of their being. Natalie wrapped her arms around his neck, running a hand through his hair. Their tongues finally met after a week and they moaned in blissful pleasure. The kiss slowed, their mouths moved against each other at a deliberate pace, and their hands gripped each other tighter, pulling each other closer. They pulled away with breathless gasps when lack of oxygen became too much to ignore. Their grasp on each other tightened and their eyes locked. Their hearts beat with equal fervency. If they didn't leave the drawing room _right_ _now_, there would be a big problem. Luckily, Lucy must have either heard them, or sensed a change.

"Am I interrupting something?" Lucy smiled as she stood at the door. She raised a brow as they pulled away from each other like they did when they first started flirting. She might have seemed oblivious and innocent to them, but she wasn't stupid. She knew when they were flirting with each other and knew when they tried to hide it. Neither of them had been very good at it.

"No, you're not," Natalie almost sounded relieved and gave Edmund an almost painful look as she walked out of the drawing room.

"Is everything alright?" Lucy asked her brother, frowning in concern.

"Yes, it's just hard not to act... like we usually do with each other, in front of mum and dad, you know?" Edmund rubbed the back of his neck. "I miss just holding her, let alone..." he trailed off with a blush.

"Uh- right," Lucy blushed as well. "Well, come on, before mum and dad start to wonder," she said, leading her brother to the family room where their father had some classical music playing. Edmund walked over to the front and smiled down at Natalie, who sat on the couch, then held his hand to her. Natalie smiled brightly and took it, knowing what he was going to do.

"May I have your attention? I have- _we, _have an announcement to make..." Edmund began, fighting off a blush at his father's knowing look. John turned off the music and sat with his wife on the couch while Lucy took the armchair. Edmund felt Natalie squeeze his hand reassuringly when he paused, unsure how to proceed. He looked over at her and his eyes softened, "I asked Natalie to marry me," he told his family without looking away from Natalie's eyes. As expected, Lucy squealed happily, clapping her hands and grinning at them so brightly he swore her teeth were shining.

"That's fantastic, son!" John grinned as well.

Edmund looked over with wide eyes. "I have your blessing?" He asked, surprised by how pleased his father was.

"Absolutely! Your choice in a wife couldn't be better!" He smiled at Natalie, who blushed in embarrassment and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you," Edmund grinned. 'I would have married her even without his blessing, nothing would keep me away from her, but I'm glad he agrees,' he thought, feeling relieved that his dad was on board with this. It would have been hard to disappoint him, so he was glad he didn't have to worry about that.

"May I be the first to welcome you to the family, dear!" Helen walked around the table and hugged her.

"Thanks," Natalie smiled, still blushing, and hugged her back as best she could.

"You're going to be my sister!" Lucy gushed.

"Lu, you already have a great sister," Natalie reminded her with a fond smile.

"True, but it never hurts to have two!" Lucy countered, still beaming.

"Natalie, we may not have a whole lot of money, but I'll make sure you have a good wedding," John smiled fondly.

"Oh! Please, let me help! I do have money saved up. I would feel horrible if you took care of everything, please?" Natalie requested.

"Well, alright, you may help a little, but _only _if you'll let me walk you down the isle," John held his hand out. "Deal?"

Natalie grinned and took his hand, shaking it. "Deal!"

_TBC..._

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**End A/N**: I had difficulty with this chapter, for some reason. YEAH! WOO! They're getting married! For the record, I thought of the proposal scene far before I started watching Merlin (BBC) so the similarities are completely coincidental! By the way, I have NO IDEA what Edmund and Lucy's dad's name is, there's no record anywhere of his name, so I gave him one. I hope ya'll liked the family bonding! I was listening to "Tonight" by Jaci Velasquez when writing this chapter! Or, at least,when writing the proposal part lol.

"_Tonight, I want to live in your world, where the stars come out and call you beautiful..."_

- Jaci Velasquez, "Tonight".

Shout-Out:

**OlleiPattson:** And I love your reviews! :D

**Allie Danger: **Lol I'm glad you liked it!

**Guest:** Yes, well, that's me! As thorough as could be! Wee! LOL! When I start to make things rhyme, you know it's passed my bedtime! XD

**narnias no.1fan: **Haha, I thought you were? One of your reviews led me to believe you knew she was pregnant? Unless you meant the going to England part? Yeah, I wanted to be a little original!


	36. Epilogue

Tranquility

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Chronicles of Narnia related, but I do own Natalie, Orecar, and some other random original characters.

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It had been one month since Edmund proposed to Natalie.

Natalie had to learn quick, using the little bits of know-how Aslan had basically 'installed' in her new memories, to fit in 20th century England, though it helped that she had always been a history buff, knowing also that she was pregnant and had to try and keep that from Edmund's parents as long as possible. It would have been scandalous if they found out she had had _relations_ with him without being married to him first. It became a problem when Natalie began showing signs of her pregnancy after a week though. Edmund requested marrying her sooner, insisting. They were eighteen though, so they could essentially do so if they wanted to. John Pevensie had reluctantly agreed, but insisted they had to wait at least one month, to 'get to know each other better' and for them to prepare for such a big step in their lives. They, of course, had to agree.

One month had gone by very slowly for them. Keeping their hands off each other becomes very difficult, but they could not risk being caught by anyone or letting rumors spread, so they had to keep apart from each other for the most part, to keep people from prying into their lives and wonder why they acted so much closer than people who supposedly only been dating for a short time. But that didn't say they couldn't go on dates, even as hard as that was without letting it get carried away. Natalie even had to resort to lying about her slightly belly growth, saying her fiance just liked to dote on her with too many sweets. Fortunately, people bought that.

Now, now the month had come to an end and Edmund and Natalie insisted on getting married. They had already made preparations. The day was a bright and sunny one, despite the cold temperature. Natalie found it odd that, not only was it not raining or snowing, it was sunny and peaceful... she was under the impression that it rained quite a lot in England? Perhaps Aslan had something to do with this? Either way, Natalie found herself staring out into the clear blue sky that morning, smiling dazedly to herself. Today was the big day! Today she was going to get married! She knew it was tradition, she knew today she couldn't until the wedding, but she found herself wanting to see Edmund pretty badly. But then, that wasn't new... she _always _wanted to see him.

"Natalie! What are you still doing in your pajamas!" Lucy asked in exasperation. Natalie looked over in surprise. She hadn't heard her door open at all, nor had she heard Lucy walk into her room. She had given the Pevensies keys to her house and often times then not found one of them waltzing in, either declaring that she would do something with one of them, just stopping by to hang out with her, or bringing her a home-cooked meal. "Come on, get dressed so we can get to the church already!" She went over and tugged the older girl out of her bed.

"Lu, it's seven in the morning! The wedding is not until two! I'm pretty sure I have enough time for all of that!" Natalie protested, but let the younger girl pull her toward her dresser.

"We still have last minute checks to make, make sure the catering has arrived, prepare for the reception, get you into your dress, do your make up, your hair, you're mad if you think seven hours is enough time!" Lucy shook her head.

"Lucy, relax," Natalie chuckled. "Why are you more nervous about today than I am?"

"Because I'm more responsible than you?" Lucy stuck her tongue out.

"Hey, that's not... well, alright, maybe you're right," Natalie blushed, holding her hand over her slightly larger belly. "I hope I'll still be able to fit into my dress?"

"I'll _make you _fit," Lucy promised with a look of determination. Somehow, even if it was Lucy who said it... or maybe _because _it was Lucy who said it, that sounded pretty scary. It turned out, Natalie had been right. Everything was in order and everyone was prepared for the wedding. They made it to the church with plenty of time to spare, and Helen and Lucy had to firmly forbid Natalie from wandering, knowing she would probably go look for her husband to be.

When Natalie finally met Peter and Susan, it was just before the wedding. Peter looked radically different from Edmund, wondering how it was possible for siblings to look so unlike the other. He was taller than Edmund and, like him, very handsome. Piercing blue eyes under neatly combed golden brown hair and a wide jaw. He looked every bit a King, picturing him with a gold crown and a flowing cape, he might even look like King Arthur! He looked like he could take down a bull with his bare hands, or maybe even just glare it into submission, having the same sort of intensity in his eyes as Edmund did. Edmund's older sister, Susan, was a glamorous beauty with long flowing hair and a strong frame. She looked like she could take on the world without even messing up one strand of hair on her head. She had that sort of strength and confidence in her eyes. Natalie could also see a wise sort of gentleness. She was every bit the Queen Lucy had bragged to her about. Clearly, the Pevensie siblings were made to be Kings and Queens. Aslan had certainly chosen well! Even if she still felt like she could never match to their regal grace... she might have been named Queen by Aslan as well, but she doubted she would even be as natural as they seemed to be.

"You must be Natalie Valentine," Susan said as she walked over to her, grace with each step.

"We've heard much about you," Peter said, his voice shocking Natalie slightly. He sounded a bit like Edmund, but his voice seemed like it was made to command, strength and wisdom reverberated from him. It was no wonder Edmund admitted trying to be like him when he was younger! His eyes studied her as he and Susan made their way over to her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, I've heard a lot about you too," Natalie smiled weakly.

"So, when did you-" Susan's questioned was cut off, a horribly painful look crossing her face. She fell to her knees, her hand balled to the side of her head.

"Su?" Peter turned sharply, by his sister's side immediately. "Are you alrig-" he gasped, cutting himself off as well, his hand clutching his own head.

"What's going on?!" Natalie asked in concern, kneeling before them. She began to get very worried when they didn't respond, but just as she stood to call for help, Peter's hand shot forward and caught her wrist. Looking back down at him, she blinked in surprise at the wide-eyed, astonished look in his eyes. "What's wrong?" Natalie asked again. Peter let her wrist go and helped his sister up, who had an equally stunned look in her eyes.

"We remember," Peter answered breathlessly, glancing over to his sister, who nodded in agreement. "We remember everything," Peter's face turned pained once more, but this time, it wasn't because of physical pain.

"Natalie, seeing you... it woke memories in us that we had kept locked up, brushed aside as though they were just childish fantasies. We remember Narnia... we remember Aslan, we remember everything," Susan explained.

"But... that- you forgot?" Natalie frowned in confusion. "Why would _I _make you remember? We just met!"

"Something about you must be different. Something must have changed," Peter shook his head, also confused. "Whatever it is, I'm... well, I can't be sure whether to be happy I remember, or sad. Now that I remember Narnia, I miss it terribly," he frowned sadly.

"I'm sorry..." Natalie apologized weakly.

"No, you have nothing to be sorry for," Susan insisted. "We're grateful to you, we always felt like something was missing, and now we know what," she smiled reassuringly and pat her arm.

"Now that I remember everything, it's _amazing _Edmund actually found himself someone!" Peter chuckled. "I was afraid he'd be bitter and alone his whole life!"

"Come now, Peter, you're not being fair. You know as well as I do that Edmund has changed quite a lot since the last time we saw him," Susan chided him.

"Yes, yes, of course, you're right, _as always_," Peter smirked.

"My God, it's like listening to Edmund and Lucy all over again," Natalie laughed softly. "They're a lot like you two when they argue," she smiled fondly.

"Really? Huh, imagine that," Peter muttered, but Natalie could see the pride in his eyes.

"Natalie, dear? It is time to finish getting ready," Helen said as she poked her head in the room. "Hello, my lovelies!" Helen went over to her children and kissed them both on the cheeks.

"Hello, mum!" Peter grinned. "I'll see you girls later, I'm going to go make Edmund's life difficult," he said, his hands in his pockets and a skip in his step.

"At least he's honest," Helen laughed.

"Here, let me help, mother," Susan smiled and went to assist the older woman with Natalie's dress and hair. By the time she was done getting worked on, she looked like a work of art. She had chosen a simple white dress with a fairly short train. The dress was embedded with what looked like diamonds, but were clearly fake, just enough sparkle to make her look dazzling, and she wore thin white gloves that went up to her elbows. She felt great, despite the dress being a little tight on her. She could hear the music playing in the main hall of the church and received friendly pats on the arm from the women, who left the room when John showed up.

"Are you ready, love?" John asked affectionately.

"Yep!" Natalie nodded with a smile.

"No 'cold feet'?"

"Nope!" Natalie grinned. It was slightly surprising to her how sure she was about this. She would have thought with how she grew up, in _both _time-lines, that she would be unsure and try to push Edmund away... but she honestly couldn't think of something she wanted more at the moment. Natalie hooked her arm through John's and let her lead her to the main room, where everyone stood when they appeared.

They made their walk down the isle, Natalie blushed at the thumbs up she received from the Pevensie siblings. Natalie glanced back toward the front and her heart nearly gave out at the sight of Edmund in a three-tier tuxedo. She was now torn between wondering what he looked better in, battle armor, dressed for war, or a sleek, black tuxedo and gray and white vest with his short but messy black hair. It was a tough one. John patted Natalie's hand as they stopped by the alter, then separated from her, stepping back and smiling. "Who gives this woman to be married to this man?" The priest asked, turning to the people in the room.

Natalie bit her lip and glanced over to Edmund's father, who nodded encouragingly. "I give myself away, I have no guardian," she answered. John sat by his wife, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. Helen was practically in tears, happy tears, but still tears.

"Very well," the minister smiled, gesturing her to come forward. John smiled once more, squeezing her hand, and then handed her hand over to his son who took it with a grin. The pastor turned to Edmund. "Edmund Pevensie, will you have this woman to be your lawful wedded wife, to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy Estate of Matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto her as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked, noticing how cool and collected the young couple was, their warm smiles never leaving their faces. It was refreshing to see young people getting married so sure of their love.

"I do," Edmund answered readily.

The preacher then turned to Natalie with a warm smile of his own, repeating what he had said to Edmund. "And you, Natalie Valentine, will you have this man to be your lawful wedded husband, to live together after God's ordinance in the Holy Estate of Matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him in sickness and in health; and, forsaking all others keep you only unto him as long as you both shall live?" He asked kindly.

"I do!" Natalie announced enthusiastically. The minister smiled at both of them and continued with the ceremony.

"The marriage rings seal the vows of marriage and represents a promise for eternal and everlasting love." He motioned for a child, most likely a neighbor's son who was invited to the wedding, over. Edmund and Natalie repeated their vows, their eyes never leaving each other and their hands grasping. For them, they were the only two people in the room. It was only when they heard the word "kiss" that they realized they had been married. Edmund grinned and lifted Natalie's veil, stepping closer to her. The kiss was a soft, tender one with the promise of love. Natalie cupped Edmund's jaw, stroking it gently as she moved her lips against his in the soft kiss. Neither of them were aware of the thundering applause around them. Soon, though, they forced themselves to pull away and blushed when the finally realized once more that they were indeed not alone. Edmund took Natalie by the arm and the couple grinned happily at their friends and family who cheered at them.

After many hugs and congratulations, the first few she would receive that day, Edmund and Natalie got into the Pevensie family car, and drove together to the reception. Everyone else car-pooled over. When they got there, it seemed the caters had arrived and had everything prepared. The new couple reluctantly separated to change into more comfortable clothing. By the time they finished, the guests where already arriving. The reception was being held in a middle school gymnasium, while school was out for the winter. The music playing was unlike what Natalie was used to listening, and on a record player no less! Still, it was loud enough and the gym was padded well enough that none of the sound escaped the room and you could hear it pretty well. Natalie smiled when Edmund showed up next to her and, with a charming smile on his lips, held his hand out to her. The first dance of the evening.

Natalie lay her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed, she let him lead her through the dance, for the first time in years, not noticing all the eyes on her and her husband. Husband... she was married! She was married to Edmund! It was every girl's dream to find their soul mate, and it was every little girl's dream to marry a handsome Prince... but _she _got to marry a King! A _very _handsome one at that! "May I cut in?" Natalie looked up to see Peter smiling widely.

"Only if the missus is alright with dancing with a scoundrel," Edmund smirked.

"I think I'm used to that," Natalie stuck her tongue out at her new husband, who laughed in response.

"Oh, I like her, Ed!" Peter chuckled. Edmund rolled his eyes but stood aside, smiling at them, and muttered about going to get a drink. "Don't drink too much, Ed! You know what it does to you!" Peter teased.

"Drop dead, dear brother!" Edmund called back, though his tone was more affectionate than anything else.

"What is he like when he's drunk?" Natalie asked, now curious about the banter.

"He never got drunk while in Narnia?" Peter asked curiously. While his brother was _not _one to drink much, let alone get drunk, he and his sisters had witnessed him a bit sloshed during a few parties back in the "Golden Age". But perhaps that was because he was trying to escape the incessant annoyances of the "noble Ladies" that would throw themselves at him. He remembered not blaming him.

"No, we were all mostly getting to know each other, and then, you know, some conflicts in Narnia..." Natalie told him.

"Conflicts?" Natalie could feel the tall man stiffen slightly. Clearly he didn't like the sound of that. Having been King for Narnia, Natalie assumed he still had instincts to try and defend it.

"Didn't Edmund tell you? The White Witch had come back-" Natalie was cut off by a strangled gasp from him, but went on before he could interrupt further. "The first signs that she was stirring was corrupting some minds, including the mind of a Calormene General. The man killed their King-"

"Tisroc..." Peter corrected in a mumble.

"Their Tisroc, and Edmund and Caspian intercepted their invading army. They defeated them but were forced to kill them all... Jadis wouldn't give up her hold on them..." Natalie frowned sadly. "And then, after that, a few weeks later, Jadis found a way to physically reappear on Narnia and she built an army to attack us. She had poisoned Caspian, figuring Edmund was too weak to be able to fight her without him... she underestimated him though, and Edmund led Narnia into victory, killing Jadis. He almost died that day, if it wasn't for Lucy, that is," Natalie took a shuddering breath. She could still see the pale, bloody face of her love, dying in her arms.

Peter couldn't feel more proud for his little brother. He had faced his fears, and conquered a horrible evil. "I'm sorry, you lot suffered a lot," Peter frowned, his hold on her tightening slightly, as if he were trying to protect her.

Natalie found it endearing and had to smile. "We're okay, we made it with Aslan's grace and defeated all the obstacles life could throw at us. Now we're married, so I'd have to say this is a very happy ending, yes?" she suggested.

"Or happy beginning?" Peter grinned.

"True!"

"So, anyway, did my little brother give you a hard time?" Peter asked with a twinkle in his eye, trying to steer the conversation back to a more pleasant topic.

"No, he was a perfect gentleman. In fact, I think _I _caused him more frustration than anything else," Natalie admitted.

"Yes, I can imagine," Peter chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, no, I only mean that you're very beautiful, so I can imagine how frustrated you made him," he smirked.

"Oh!" Natalie blushed. "No, not like that..."

"I know, I'm only teasing," Peter laughed.

"You're just as bad as Caspian," Natalie shook her head.

"Caspian? Last time I saw him he was... well, I suppose you could call him reserved?"

"Reserved!" Natalie laughed. "No, that's not the Caspian I know," she smiled fondly.

"Then he must have mellowed out," Peter smiled. The two danced a little longer until Edmund reappeared with a raised brow. "Honestly, Ed, you're going to be stuck together for the foreseeable future, you can stand a few minutes away from her," Peter chuckled.

"That's poppycock," Edmund scoffed, but smiled anyway. His elder brother relinquished his bride to him once more and the couple held each other close. While they danced, the siblings stood watching, reflecting how changed their brother was. Around Natalie, he seemed calmer, more focused, even a bit more mature if that were possible. None of them could detect the usual bitterness and bad attitude from him, all they could see is smiles and laughter. Someone had finally found Edmund and healed his scarred heart.

After the dancing, after the gift exchange, and after the cake was eaten, Edmund and Natalie bid the guests and Natalie's new family a farewell. While they couldn't afford an expensive getaway, especially with the country trying to rebuild after the war, Edmund and Natalie were still able to go to the family cabin, some ways south of Finchley. The drive there wasn't very long, but Natalie still found herself asleep for most of it. It had been a tiring month, after all. When they finally arrived at the cabin, Edmund helped the still half-asleep Natalie out of the car. Making their way inside, Natalie gasped when Edmund suddenly lifted her up into his arms, carrying her into the house and kicking the door shut. She all but giggled as he carried her to 'their room' and gently set her down. While she had been expecting him to be a bit anxious to get on with the more 'exciting' parts of being married, she was surprised by how soon he wanted to 'experience' it. Not that she was complaining or anything.

Edmund paused, gazing down at her, and gave her a sheepish smile. "We don't have to do this right now, if you're too tired?" he said softly.

Natalie smiled and caressed her husband's cheek. "Turn off the lights, my King..." she answered simply. That was all Edmund needed to hear. It seemed the saying 'third time's the charm' really did fit most situations, though it would more fairly be considered a fourth time for them. In this case, the fourth time being with Edmund was even better than the other three. By then they knew each others bodies pretty well, they knew how to tune it like instruments to get the best reactions from each other.

Eight months, three weeks, and eleven hours later, Natalie lay, completely spent, on the hospital bed, smiling tiredly as the nurse handed her _twins_. A boy and a girl. Edmund stood by her side, his eyes wide with awe as his wife took their children, cooing softly at them. "What will we name them?" Natalie asked. "We never really came to a decision?"

"I've been thinking about that since you shot down my last suggestion. What about Laura, for a girl... after your mother?" Edmund asked.

"That's... that's perfect!" Natalie had tears in her eyes. Clearly, she was still hormonally imbalanced, so Edmund would still have to be careful with what he said. "Thank you!" She reached for him and Edmund bent over, happily accepting the gentle kiss from her. "I was thinking about William, for our son, what do you think?"

"I think I love it," Edmund grinned. Just a bit later, after making sure the babies were alright and properly logged, they were returned to their parents. By then, Peter and Susan were there as well, congratulating their sister-in-law and brother. Helen Pevensie had been delayed, picking up her husband and daughter from the airport for this momentous day, but would be arriving soon. In the meantime, Natalie had made room for Edmund to sit on the bed with her and the two held their children, smiling at each other lovingly. Natalie watched Edmund lay a gentle kiss atop his daughter's fuzzy, soft head and she figured their daughter would be a daddy's girl just as she had imagined it.

"So there are the proud parents!" Natalie and Edmund looked up to see Peter and Susan walking in, equally bright grins on their faces.

"We're sorry we couldn't be here earlier," Susan apologized.

"If you had just tagged your bag like dad had told you to, we wouldn't have had to spend such a long time in the airport," Peter scoffed.

"Well _excuse _me for a little slip-up! I'm not perfect, you know," Susan rolled her eyes.

"In any case, we're glad you're here," Edmund interrupted.

"Oh! You had twins!" Susan gasped, just noticing that they each held a baby.

"Yep! A boy and a girl!" Natalie grinned tiredly.

"You must be exhausted," Susan frowned sadly as she walked over to the bedside, leaning over to try to fix her sister-in-law's hair a bit.

"I'm fine," Natalie smiled. "Would you two like to hold them?"

"We'd love to," Peter smiled. He took William, while Susan took Laura. "So what are their names?" he asked curiously, making faces at the little tyke he held, though the baby was still much to young to understand what the man holding him was doing to react.

"William and Laura," Edmund answered, smiling at how goofy his brother was behaving.

"Beautiful names," Susan gushed. She smiled down at the baby girl she held. "A fitting name for a beautiful little lady. You, Laura, would make a gorgeous Queen, I'm sure of it," Susan said to her niece, the siblings smiles and nodded in agreement.

"And _you, _nephew, with a strong name like William, I bet you're going to grow up big and strong and be a great warrior, like your dad," Peter cooed to his nephew, smiling at his brother who blushed at the compliment. "You just be sure to tell uncle Peter when your dad's being an ass," he chuckled.

"Peter!" Susan and Natalie both scolded at the same time. Natalie tried to conceal a laugh though, finding it much more amusing than her straight-laced sister-in-law.

"What? He doesn't understand a word I'm saying, do you, sport?" Peter grinned down at the baby in his arms.

Suddenly, Helen, John, and Lucy came barreling into the room, grinning at the six of them from ear to ear. Lucy was torn between the twins, wanting to be with both of them. Once the family had settled a bit, Natalie let her new mom and dad – something she was _still _giddy about – hold her babies. The siblings and Natalie looked at the older couple fondly but something distracted them. A soft rumble of a laugh was heard at the corner of the room, where a full-length mirror stood. They turned and were surprised to see Aslan standing there, looking out at them with an affectionate smile.

"Greetings, children," he said kindly.

"Aslan!" Peter gawked. "It's really you! I've – we've missed you," he said, frowning sadly.

"And I you, Peter," Aslan responded. "You have questions for me?" he stated, knowing they did.

"Aslan, why did we forget, and now remember as soon as we met Natalie?" Susan asked curiously.

"Truthfully, Susan, that is as much a mystery to me as it is to you. Natalie was sent to Narnia to not only heal herself, but help heal Edmund's fear over Jadis. Perhaps her gift extended to you as well. One thing is for certain, things that were supposed to happen have now changed... for better or for worse, I am uncertain at the present time. Do not fear though, I will always be with you," he smiled. "Natalie, your children are very special, take care to keep them safe, alright? I know you'll do a wonderful job," Aslan's eyes twinkled.

"Special? Why?" Lucy asked curiously.

"They are children of two universes. Two time-lines. That makes them special. I can see great things in their future," the great lion smiled.

"Narnia?" Peter suggested.

"Possibly," Aslan smirked. "But now is not the time to think of such things. Now is the time to celebrate life and love. Take care, children, perhaps we shall see each other again?" Aslan suggested, the familiar twinkle returning to his eyes. The 'children' blinked 'back to reality' when John and Helen addressed them. Aslan had disappeared from them mirror. The group turned to their parents and the children once more and crowded a tired, but glowing and very happy looking Natalie, until the nurse made them leave, though Natalie had refused they kick her husband out.

A while later, Edmund watched Natalie sleep while he held his children close to him. He couldn't have asked for a more perfect gift. The idea that his children could one day be important to Narnia sent chills up his spine. He wasn't sure whether to be excited for them, or worried. Then a thought occurred to him. Aslan had mentioned _they _would see him again, he was pretty sure he wasn't just talking about the children. Would they one day find themselves in Narnia again? Laura stirred in his arms, wrapping her little hand around his finger, distracting her father. Edmund smiled down at his children, momentarily forgetting what he had been worrying about. Perhaps Aslan was right. Now was not the time to think of those things, now was a time for them in that world. Let tomorrow bring what it would. He knew he, Natalie, and his siblings would be ready for whatever life threw at them next!

_The End..._

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**End A/N**: Because I like HAPPY ENDINGS, damn it! What can I say? I'm a sap at heart! No, your eyes aren't deceiving you, unfortunately, the story has come to an end. Even though I am not really planning a sequel at the moment, you can still go ahead and try to persuade me lol who knows, it might work! A good ending theme to this story might be the ending theme to "Anastasia", "Life is a Road" it seems to fit. Listen to the lyrics, you'll think so too! For the record, I CAN NOT STAND the "Mr and Mrs whoever last-name..." it sounds like they're saying the woman is losing her individuality and will now just be referred to as that guy's wife... I'm not a feminist or anything, I just don't like it. Therefore, I didn't add it! I swear though, if I ever get married and my preacher says that, I will slap him, I will slap him in front of everyone, I don't care! LOL. Well... unless my father marries me off (he's a pastor), I might just look at him with great annoyance and then maybe vent at him after the wedding, lol!

The style of song they dance to at the wedding is inspired by "Lover Man" by Billie Holiday, but "Crazy For You" by Madonna was the song I was listening to lol. Don't look at me like that!

Anyone else love the idea of uncle Peter? Lol. I hope no one is upset with how I wrote Caspian, I just noticed (after FINISHING the story lol) how juvenile he seemed to be... though I wanted him to kind of be like a surrogate big brother to them, in place of Peter. Natalie was a different story, no pun intended, she was supposed to be an average ordinary girl that went through an extraordinary experience. I wanted the readers (hopefully females) to identify with her. I hope someone out there liked Natalie! I hope she wasn't a dull or annoying character. A good original character has to have some life in them, flaws, weaknesses, wishes, everything a normal human being would have. I hope I lived up to my own expectations!

Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! My longest story yet! I'm quite proud of it! I hope you are too! (A lot of hoping!)

_In the end I want to be standing at the beginning with you..._

- Anastatia OST.

Shout-Outs:

**OlleiPattson: **I hope the wedding part wasn't too rushed or boring! Err, although, it's been my understanding that weddings _are _boring lol until the food part arrives! I was a bride's maid for my sister-in-law, and I gotta tell you, standing up there for hours with a fixed smile on your face and wearing cute but painful shoes is NOT PLEASANT lol.

**Allie Danger: **Oh don't worry, I had a stupid smile on when I wrote it! Yes, I read too many Chronicles of Narnia stories that ended pretty badly in my opinion. Since I'm such a sap, I wanted a happily-ever after! :)

**Guest: **Yeah! I figured them just getting married wouldn't be enough, I mean, it would, but not for how little time they really knew each other? Or something like that.

**narnias no.1fan: **I smiled like an idiot while writing it, so I can understand your feelings lol.


End file.
